Rixton is an up and coming UK pop group, who initially achieved success last year covering songs on YouTube. Recently, they released two original singles, “Wait on Me” and “Me And My Broken Heart”, which will be a part of their debut album, which is to be out on January 5, 2015.

I can’t deny that Rixton does have an interesting sound going for them. They’re inclusion of acoustic instrumentation within their synthesized production makes their songs almost, in a sense, sound authentic and less like a superficial creation.

Just by listening to these songs, it’s obvious that they’re primarily influenced by artists such as 98 Degrees and Rob Thomas, to the point where “Me And My Broken” borrows it’s melody directly from the chorus of Thomas’s “Lonely No More”.

However, as talented as this band may be, I think they have to form a distinct identity to separate themselves. Although these pieces may be pleasant, they’re nothing really unique or impressive that makes them stand out, and honestly, I find the song writing to be pretty standard, as far as contemporary ballads go.

Nevertheless, I can’t be too harsh on them, since they’re only just beginning their musical career, and I would actually recommend them to anyone who enjoys pop music. I’m eager to see where their development takes them.