Final Hear'Say tracks chosen as album deadline draws near.

Polydor will this week make its final track selection for the debut album by Popstars act Hear'Say, whose debut single single, Pure & Simple, was serviced to the media today (Monday)

"Of the 20 tracks recorded, 16 have gone forward to final selection for the album," says Polydor A&R director Paul Adam. The album, due to be mastered this Thursday, is scheduled for release on March 26.

Though most critics of the Popstars formula have assumed the group would use "off-the-shelf" songs provided by a range of mainstream pop producers, two of the album highlights show the benefits of a slightly less contrived approach. "One and The Way To Your Love were both written specially for the band, and were created while they were actually in the studio," says Mikkel S.E of Norwegian writing/production team Stargate. "This way of working is crucial in some cases, as you capture the vibe of the band, their vocal ranges and what they personally like."

Band member Kym Marsh, whose vocal features most prominently across the majority of the album, says, "It really works because they took our characters and put them into the songs. All the StarGate tracks on the album promote the fact we have five very different voices. I really think they captured our sound."

Hear'Say made their debut performance as a group singing Way To Your Love live on CD:UK last weekend. The future single is among Adam's tips for European success. "I think it will travel -- the vocals really build throughout the song," he says.

One is also earmarked as a future single, with its Eighties-style funk production and chorus chant easily making it an album highlight. Meanwhile, Carried Away, a ballad written and produced by Ray Hedges ...