The Australasian invasion of European dancefloors shifts up a gear this week with the release of the eponymous debut album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Ladyhawke.

Real name Pip Brown, Ladyhawke combines 1980s synth-pop with an introspective edge, producing a sound which has received widespread praise and led to predictions of imminent stardom.

Ladyhawke's acclaim follows the recent international success of fellow Australasian electro-acts Pendulum, The Presets, Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts.

Brown acknowledged her 1980s roots while talking to AFP in London, but was keen to draw attention to her eclectic tastes.

"I've been hugely influenced influenced not just by the '80s but by grunge and the 90s, also David Bowie, and heavier stuff from the '70s like Led Zeppelin," she explained.

"I think everyone is expecting the album to be extremely '80s, but there's a lot more to it."

The distinctive artwork which adorns Ladyhawke's releases is created and hand-painted by fellow Kiwi and friend Sarah Larnach.

Interest in the 27-year-old songstress multiplied with 'Paris Is Burning', her single released in June in Britain.

Stars as diverse as Australian pop queen Kylie Minogue and US rocker Courtney Love declared their appreciation for the song, which became omnipresent in European clubs courtesy of a remix by French DJ Alex Gopher.

"I was going through a really stressful period and the whole thing of writing my album was doing my head in," said Brown of the song's origins.

"A friend of mine, who lives in Paris, said: 'Come over', so I went and completely loved it."

"I felt like I was lost in a dream for a while, going to lots of parties and clubs. The day I got back to London I went to the studio and wrote it."

Ladyhawke, who takes her name from a 1985 fantasy film set in medieval Europe and starring Matthew Broderick, recognises the role that popular culture plays in her music.

"I was surrounded by the stuff that was constantly playing on TV and the stuff that was all over the radio and movie theatres," she said.

"It stuck with me all these years and l look back at that time with really fond memories."

Brown's path as a traditional singer-songwriter took a detour when she was introduced to contemporary electronic music, mainly through the influence of one of her heroines, and now friend, Canadian musician Peaches.

"The first electronic artist I ever actually liked was Peaches. Then she sent me a message and wanted me to email her. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited. I was smiling from ear to ear," Brown recalled.

"Learning what she used, like her drum machines, opened up a world to me. I didn't realise until not long ago that I was into the elements of electro which inspired people to make it, like Kraftwerk."

Brown grew up in a musical family in the town of Masterton, north of Wellington, where her obsession with music developed.

Encouraged by a family who "never told me to shut up or be quiet", Brown mastered more than 10 instruments before moving to Sydney to play with the band Teenager.

She went on to relocate to London, but stressed it was not a necessary route to break into the music industry.

"I really wanted to live outside of my comfort zone and really wanted to see if people over here would embrace my music," she said.

"The music in New Zealand has always been brilliant and now people elsewhere are taking notice. It's really good and exciting."