Glitter For Gold

Being touted as the next big thing to watch out for ages by those in the know (you know them; they wear skinny jeans, have fashion beards those trendy 80s plastic glasses), Santogold finally delivers her self-titled album. Pushed back a few months from January to April, the album has been hyped to levels reminiscent of the whole Lily Allen launch with huge dollops of NME-esque street cred attached.
Sifting through the hype, I finally got round to listening to the album last night, and it’s actually quite good. Playing with a whole host of influences, (electro, indie rock, two-tone, 80s pop, reggaeton, dub) – this is an album from artist who likes her music (unsurprising given her A&R background). Vocally, Santogold switches around from sounding a bit like Gwen Stefanni, M.I.A. and at times (to my ears) Amy Winehouse (maybe just when she goes aaahoooo ?)
The standout track on the album is the opener, L.E.S. Artistes that maintains that fine balance between being a pop song that has the ability to retain its cool. Other tracks worth looking out for are; You’ll Find A Way (the second single I believe) which sound like something No Doubt would have done if they were still together, the Pretenders-esque I’m A Lady, and a song that makes me think of Amy Winehouse on heroin (oops): My Superman. Oh - and we love the seagull noises on the opening of Creator although compared to M.I.A., I’m not as taken by Santogold’s ragga takes.

As an aside, she also wrote Ashlee Simpson’s latest (and much to my embarrassment a song I like) single; Outta My Head.
MP3: Santogold – I’m A Lady (Expired)
MP3: Santogold – My Superman (Expired)
MP3: Ashlee Simpson – Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya) (Expired)