frou frou - details (2002)

Named after the French word for the rustle of silk, Frou Frou's debut album exudes cool, stylish elegance. Singer Imogene Heap's soft, whispery vocals intone dreamy lyrics of doomed romances and slow recoveries. The songs are penned by Heap and her partner, producer Guy Sigsworth (Bjцrk, Madonna), who manned the board on Heap's 1998 solo album I Megaphone. Even the mighty Brian Eno gets into the act, with a cowriting credit on the soul-bearing "Hear Me Out." In fact, all 11 tracks deal with love and fractured relationships, hauntingly beautiful both in their stark emotional content and the equally sparse arrangements that showcase Heap's ethereal voice, which she uses as a subtle weapon, much like Joni Mitchell circa 1970's Ladies of the Canyon, with the same heart-stopping yet effortless octave leaps.




1. Let Go
2. Breathe In
3. It's Good To Be In Love
4. Must Be Dreaming
5. Psychobabble
6. Only Got One
7. Shh
8. Hear Me Out
9. Maddening Shroud
10.Flicks
11.The Dumbing Down Of Love




frou frou - details (2002)

BJORK

tracklisting:

1. Earth Intruders
2. Wanderlust
3. Dull Flame of Desire
4. Innocence
5. I See Who You Are
6. Vertebrae by Vertebrae
7. Pnuemonia
8. Hope
9. Declare Independence
10.My Juvenile
11.Earth Intruders (Mark Stent Extended mix)
12.Innocence (Mark Stent Mix)
13.I See Who You Are (Mark Bell Mix)

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bjork - volta

feist - the reminder

Feist is the solo project of Canada's Leslie Feist, a prolific artist who has also played in one capacity or another with Broken Social Scene, Kings of Convenience and half a dozen other bands. The Reminder, her third release, comes from the same well of quiet, appealing songwriting, and delicate vocalizations that made 2004's Let It Die such a sweet treat. This one is a bit more hushed and ballad heavy, closer to Cat Power than Peaches (with whom Feist has also worked with in the past) but maintains an indie-minded blend of confessional pop, jazzy folk, and lo-fi torch songs. The comparatively upbeat single "My Moon My Man" splits her voice off into unexpected harmonies, just dissonant enough to stick in your head. It's hard to predict where her melodies are going to end up; "Brandy Alexander" starts with a simple snap-pulse, and gradually unfolds into a cathartic chorus of sweeping vocal overlays. Throughout, the record profits from a simple, unfussy aesthetic that keeps the production minimal and the emphasis squarely on Feist's cracking, wistful vibrato. Everything sounds deliberate, but not obsessed over, like an e-mailed wedding invitation. It's a low-pressure vibe, welcoming and content to linger. And linger you will. --Matthew Cooke (Amazon.com)

FEIST

tracklisting:

1. So Sorry
2. I Feel It All
3. My Moon My Man
4. The Park
5. The Water
6. Sealion
7. Past In Present
8. The Limit To Your Love
9. 1234
10. Brandy Alexander
11. Intuition
12. Honey Honey
13. How My Heart Behaves

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feist - the reminder

ANJA GARBAREK

Anja Garbarek (b. July 24, 1970 in Oslo) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of the Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek and grew up around Oslo. She received the Spellemannsprisen in 2001 for her album Smiling & Waving in the open class category. She is married to John Mallison, with whom she has had one daughter.

Anja Garbarek had no intention of doing something musical with her career, despite having legendary saxophonist Jan Garbarek as her father. Having spent a fair portion of her youth on tour with him, she became enamored with the likes of Kate Bush, Brian Eno, and Laurie Anderson, just some of the artists who populated her dad's record collection. After performing in a musical during college, the writer brought Anja to the attention of a friend in the record industry who ended up signing her. Attracted to the lack of boundaries that musical expression provides, as opposed to the lack of freedom involved with acting, Anja began her recording career only knowing that she had a lot of searching to do. Her first album, 1992's entirely Norwegian Velkommen Inn (Come On In), essentially got her feet wet. In an attempt to flesh out her direction, she took four years to complete a second album, 1996's Balloon Mood. Another five years passed until her most impressive outing yet, Smiling and Waving, which featured contributions from Robert Wyatt, Mark Hollis (Talk Talk), Steve Jansen (Japan), and former Cocteau Twins associate Mitsuo Tate. Like some of the work of her influences and collaborators, the record fit the mold of avant-garde pop, along with tinges of trip-hop, impressively blending woodwinds with electronic beats.

tracklisting:

Born that way
Dizzy with wonder
The last trick
Sleep
Shock activitties
Yes
My fellow riders
Can I keep him?
This momentous day
Still guarding space
Word is out

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imogen heap - speak for yourself (2005)

The U.S. debut solo album by Frou Frou vocalist Imogen Heap is a captivating record that fuses innovative electronic soundscapes with a strong female voice. If "Goodnight and Go" -- a lilting, pulsating, and hit-ready concoction -- and the alluring, synthesized pop of "Hide and Seek" are the most direct, experimental numbers like the ethereal "Have You Got It in You?" plus the rhythm-fueled "Headlock" and "Loose Ends" suggest Heap has written and produced the finest electro/alt CD of 2005. By the time the eclectic, innovative "Closing In" arrives late in the cycle of Speak for Yourself, there's little denying it.



track listing

1. Headlock 3:36
2. Goodnight and Go 3:52
3. Have You Got It In You? 4:11
4. Loose Ends 3:40
5. Hide and Seek 4:28
6. Clear The Area 4:14
7. Daylight Robbery 3:21
8. The Walk 5:14
9. Just For Now 3:00
10. I Am In Love With You 3:08
11. Closing In 4:48
12. The Moment I Said It 5:56



imogen heap - speak for yourself (2005)

stina nordenstam - the world is saved

Stina Nordenstam (born Kristina Marianne Nordenstam March 4, 1969 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish Dream Pop singer, songwriter and musician.

Stina's distinctive, breathy voice led to early comparisons with artists like Rickie Lee Jones and Björk. Her early albums, Memories Of A Colour and And She Closed Her Eyes were significantly jazz-influenced with only subtle elements of alternative rock. With 1997's Dynamite she started down a darker, more experimental path - most of the album was filled with over-processed distorted electric guitars and unusual beats, but careful listening revealed her unique songwriting abilities. An album of covers, People Are Strange, followed before she returned in 2001 with This Is Stina Nordenstam, an album with shorter songs and a more pop-like, but still highly distinctive feel; ex-Suede vocalist Brett Anderson featured on two tracks. In 2003 she featured on one track from Danish prog-rockers Mew's international debut Frengers. Her 2004 album The World Is Saved continues the path set on This Is..., but presents a more realized sound and acknowledges her earlier jazz influences more.

In addition to being a musician, Nordenstam is also an accomplished artist in other fields, such as photography and music video directing.

Slightly reclusive, she gives very few interviews, rarely performs live and even alters her appearance using wigs and make-up for album covers and magazines. During the promotion for The World Is Saved, however, she gave more interviews than usual and even talked about the possibility of future live performances [citation needed].

As of January 2007, www.stinanordenstam.com has reappeared with an image hinting of a forthcoming album, speculated for release sometime this year.

Stina's sister Emma Nordenstam is also a singer and songwriter.


Tracklisting:

Get on with Your Life
Winter Killing
On Falling
Parliament Square
I'm Staring Out the World
From Cayman Islands with Love
The Morning Belongs to the Night
125
Butterfly
The World is Saved
The End Of A Love Affair

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