"Robbie Williams - XXV" : Robbie goes orchestrated

The orchestral makeover trend has seen everyone from Peter Gabriel to Pete Tong and even Metallica giving their back catalogues a symphonic scrub-up, with mixed results. Now, marking 25 years of solo superstardom, it's Robbie Williams' turn to get some proper musicians in. But, rather than go with the usual London Symphony or Royal Philharmonic, Williams and his team - including long-time wingman Guy Chambers - have hooked up with Dutch jazz-pop ensemble Metropole Orkest. It's an inspired move that feels akin to a meeting of musical like-minds, as opposed to a bunch of players slumming it between Rachmaninovs.

They've also largely shied away from radical reinventions. Unlike Take That's Odyssey, on which the majestic Rule The World was "re-imagined" to death, no Williams classics were harmed in the making of this album. Instead, we get artful embellishments: Let Me Entertain You is given added oomph by a horn section and No Regrets - still his best song - is reworked with the drama of a Bond theme. Speaking of which, elsewhere, Millennium's John Barry strings are augmented with a gorgeous brassy countermelody, Angels takes flight with a suitably heavenly (but tastefully restrained) choir and Strong, which swaps late-90s Oasis guitar for swooning strings, has never sounded.... well, stronger. And yes, Kylie returns for another playful run through Kids.

If Robbie's stock has dipped a little lately, then this, his first hits package since 2010, is a reminder of just how good the Williams/Chambers songbook is. Hopefully it will also prompt a reassessment of underrated gems like Tripping (from 2005's Intensive Care), and 2012's Candy, co-written with old frenemy Gary Barlow and here leaning into even more of a swinging salsa vibe.

There's one new song, Lost- basically... fine - plus three more on the 29-track deluxe edition, which also includes a merging of Angels with an Al-completed version of Beethoven's unfinished Tenth Symphony. After listening to XXV, you'd have to conclude that Ludwig Van is in pretty good company.