| Santogold - Santogold |
| Albums | ||||
|
Who's the Brooklynite everyone's listening to these days? Well, she's infectious, musically diverse, and you can call her Santogold. Previously of the ska/punk band Stiffed, and also having produced Res' debut album in 2003, Santogold struck out on her own and recently released an eponymous debut that is making its way around the globe. The album cover shows gold glitter shooting out of Santogold's mouth, which perfectly encapsulates the entirety of the tracks and Santogold as an artist and forceful personality. She spills her guts and her musically unique take on things; the album as a result is pretty damn flawless...well, except for the new, dancier version of "You'll Find a Way," which originally appeared on the internet and the South by Southwest stage as what is now called "You'll Find a Way (Switch and Sinden Remix)." This version of the song, which appears later on the record, is brutally tense and almost antagonistic, with shouted lyrics and intense synths that land it somewhere between reggae and noise rock. "Lights Out," on the other hand, is sparkly and girly, as Santogold's high-pitched voice lends itself nicely to a sweet melody. The opener, "L.E.S Artistes" is fantastically catchy and well-produced, with a host of sounds both organic and electronic. With a feminist edge, shouts of "Hey Hey," and an almost serrated vocal line,"My Superman," is bass-heavy and deep. "Starstruck" is one of my favorites; taking from ska and reggae and combining these genres with electronic bleeps and hand claps, Santogold's voice runs smooth and clean as she sings, "I, I see you fade away" along the beats and bass. This self-described Creator ("Me, I'm a Creator/ Thrill is to make it up/ The rules I break got me a place/ Up on the radar") is ready for the world to stand up and take notice. -Amy Dupcak
|
||||
Born in Philadelphia, and having majored in both music and African-American studies, Santogold boasts subtle M.I.A., Nelly Furtado and Tegan and Sara attributes, but a style that's all hers. She fuses reggae, hip-hop, indie rock, and Caribbean and African drumming, all with a punkish ("Go ahead, I'll be your junkie") and resilient (Can't pull us under/ You better watch out, run for cover") attitude. She seamlessly creates a delicious brand of shiny, funky pop that is authentic to the core, innovative, DIY in execution, and at times even dangerous. 
