He does just that on Echoes, and in the careful and graceful manner that one might naturally expect. Better still, he's hired electro-dance aficionado Richard X (Goldfrapp, MIA) to steer him through the genre's now-murky waters - the fruits of which can be heard in the triumphant lead single 'Jealousy'.
The precedent continues throughout the remaining 12 tracks. From the modish synths of sad disco-pop number 'Runaway' to the Pet Shop Boys-esque 'Personal Thunder' to the lounge-pop twinkles in 'Losing Myself', it's a style that allows the melodies and thoughtful lyrics to breathe with ease.
The result is a perfectly-crafted adult pop album; one that sounds contemporary without straw-clutching and classy without the pretension. The hands-in-the-air ballads 'Lie Next To Me' and 'Silent Valentine' prove that he's still the Will we've always known, just in a shinier, sharper and altogether more comfortable skin.
Tracks to download: 'Jealousy', 'I Just Want A Lover', 'Silent Valentine', 'Losing Myself'
If you like this, you'll like: St Etienne, Goldfrapp, Steve Mason
Watch Will Young's 'Jealousy' music video below:
