Label: Atlantic
Country: Sweden
Release Date: 2011.02.28

“Wounded Rhymes”, is one of the most tremendous records you will hear in 2011. Channeling the demise of The Shangri-La’s Leader of the Pack, women under the influence, ladies and gentlemen of the canyon, a Kung-fu Marianne Faithful, and an armed Nancy Sinatra on peyote, Lykke Li has created an eleven song album that sounds like no other. The record is packed full of pounding, voodoo drums, girl group gang vocals, sparkling guitar lines, woozy keyboards, love unrequited, hope reignited and her own very powerful voice, sounding bigger and bolder than ever before. From the hazy 60’s organ driving opener “Youth Knows No Pain” to the sparse toe-tapsolo- guitar-swing of “Unrequited Love” to rollicking single “Get Some” to the dense drums of the propulsive “Jerome,” Wounded Rhymes is a testament to Lykke Li’s brilliant musical voice, one unlike any other.

Label: Atlantic
Country: Greece
Release Date: 2010.02.22

‘The Family Jewels’ is the debut album from Welsh/Greek pop-songstress Marina Diamandis, more commonly known as Marina And The Diamonds. Her quirky songs show off both Marina’s eccentric personality and her unique voice, which sets ‘The Family Jewels’ apart from the other albums released by solo, female artists, which often don’t have the depth of originality possessed by Marina.

Marina Diamandis has already come a long way. Only six months ago she was playing to a half-empty third tent on a drizzly Friday afternoon at Leeds Festival. Now, she’s been named the runner-up in the BBC’s Sound Of 2010 critics poll and sleb blogger Perez Hilton is tweeting at her, declaring his undying love. Some of this could be put down to good timing, of course. One-woman bands with curious names and a penchant for quirky pop are pretty in vogue right now, after all. But Marina’s singles throughout 2009 showcased a genuine new talent, with Obsessions and Mowgli’s Road becoming two pop music highlights of the year. But the buzz has ensured that debut album The Family Jewels is one of the year’s more eagerly awaited releases. On first listen it’s a somewhat bewildering concoction, dizzily spinning from overtly theatrical pop at one turn to heartfelt ballads the next with, ever so occasionally, a song that sounds like it’s had everything bar the proverbial kitchen sink thrown into it. Mowgli’s Road is a good example of the latter. Brimming with energy from the first shout of ‘Cuckoo!” at the start, it packs in a staccato piano riff, jungle animal noises and more cutlery references than your average restaurant review. It’s certainly kooky, but with enough heart to keep things interesting. Her lyrics aren’t always so unconventional or Kipling referencing. Girls is a witty, knowing song about challenging female stereotypes: “I fall asleep when they speak of all the calories they eat”. The Outsider tackles alienation and insecurity amongst the first flourishing of fame: “Just because you know my name doesn’t mean you know my game.” It’s true that, sometimes, it gets a bit wearying. There are so many punchy choruses and electro hooks that, after a while, you start to feel a bit jaded – a point best made by the best songs here being the relatively downtempo numbers. Obsessions, a plaintive ballad about an abusive relationship, is beautiful, while I Am Not A Robot shows a pleasing touch of vulnerability which works very well. Marina’s voice will also divide people. In a similar manner to Amanda Palmer she takes a theatrical bent to her vocals, making sure to enunciate every word in a manner that becomes a bit grating after a while. She also has a habit of namechecking herself – whether you find Hollywood’s line about “Oh my god, you look just like Shakira, no no, you’re Catherine Zeta, actually, my name’s Marina” endearing or infuriating will depend on your taste. But she certainly has the charisma to establish herself as a proper popstar, and tracks like Oh No, Shampain and the aforementioned Hollywood are all infectiously catchy and have enough depth not to be dismissed lightly as bubblegum pop. The Family Jewels isn’t the classic debut album that her early singles suggested was on the way, but there’s enough promise here to carry her through the hype. (by john murphy)

Label: Atlantic Records
Country: United Kingdom
Release Date: 2009.06.08

The weight of expectation sits heavily on the shoulders of Victoria Hesketh, but a synthesised shrug makes light of the hyperbole as the 25-year-old unassumingly blends Giorgio Moroder and Kraftwerk’s minimalist charm, to produce gently pulsing gems like No Brakes. Running through Hands like Blackpool in a stick of rock are Mathematics and Symmetry. The former thunders along to a cavernous drum and keyboard motif with undeniable numerical logic, and the opening sequence of the latter recalls the frosty glacial splendour of early Human League. As if by magic, enter Mr Phil Oakey, as though the past 28 years never happened. Like much else here, it could easily have gone cheesy, but the duet soars in minor triumph. Little Boots has the tunes to make this more than a nostalgia trip, throwing down challenges on the dance floor and thrashing out pop hooks by the dozen. (by scotsman)

Label: Atlantic Records
Country: United Kingdom
Release Date: 2009.01.05

There’s a lot of interest in Little Boots, a.k.a. Victoria Hesketh, at the moment, as she has been announced as the most promising new artist in the BBC’s “Sound of 2009″ list. Coincidentally, in the same week this was announced, her track “Stuck On Repeat” was given away free as iTunes’ Single of the Week. A smart move, which has led many people (me too) to buy the full three track EP – a taster for an album which will undoubtedly be rushed to the top of her record company’s priority list.
All three tracks are musically clever and interesting, thanks to the electronic elements of her music – the Tenori-on (a strange yet wonderful Japanese “soundscaping” synth instrument) being especially of interest. Though this makes the music feel modern and experimental, at the same time there is also a definite nostalgia there for the pop rather than dance focussed synth of the 90s. Take the electronic side away and you get something fairly reminiscent of Saint Etienne mixed with Dubstar, whacked around the head by Bat For Lashes. (by andromeda descendent)