Groundbreaking stuff (Santogold - Santogold)

Member Name: pedro_gavino

Product:	Santogold - Santogold
Date:	29/09/08 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its different in a great way!

Disadvantages: Your kidding right?

Still my favourite album of the year!

Santogold a.k.a. singer Santi White has impressed with her fierce commitment to innovation, depth of expression and flat-out greatness.

So far Santogold's mostly been billed as MIA without the chip on her shoulder. Yes, she has the same voracious appetite for global pop influences. "Shove It," for example, is a dubby opium dream; "You'll Find a Way" has the flavor of early work from The Police; and the beats of "Creator," one of the best tracks on the album, recall, well, MIA herself. And she works with some of the same producers as MIA, and has MIA's same intense exploration of melody and rhythm.

But Santogold is far from a mini-MIA. She draws more heavily on rock and New Wave, and, unsurprisingly, she's more rooted in the United States. "L.E.S. Artistes," for example, shines a harsh light on New York hipsters, a pinpoint scrutiny against a winding, warped synth line undergirding vocals half rock, half R&B, entirely original. And that's what makes this album such a compelling listen: Its originality and apathy towards the current crop of crooning female 'talent.'

***** Seriously. I do not give this grade out lightly.

Summary: Refreshing burst of musical energy. Flawlless from start to finish, even the remixes are great!