7.7 / 10.0 - Good
Back in early 2008, I bought Mark Ronson's Motown record
Version after becoming curious about the Brit-pop scene and became interested in one song in particular called '
Pretty Green'. The song is very strange all around with its mixture of horns and beeps throughout, but the vocalist listed on the back of the record as Santo Gold is what caught me most. Her voice, very reminiscent of that in 60s music, gave me the impression that I would find some sort of soulful record when I actually looked her up on Itunes. And when I did buy her album, I was pleasantly surprised to find that her style didn't match any of my assumptions whatsoever.
Santogold (at the time), real name Santi White, does not find her aspirations from Motown and R&B music at all on her debut, like she does with her uses of new-wave synths, reggae guitar skanks, electronic and dub beats and punk inspired drums. Her first single from Santogold, 'L.E.S. Artistes' personifies the core of indie music with robotic hand claps, a utensil-like drum beat and a huge chorus where she sings, "I can say I hope it will be worth what I give up / If I could stand up mean for all the things that I believe" Her honest approach to find herself as an artist among the other Lower East Side wannabes on this song is just the start to her perfect gem of a debut.
'
You'll Find a Way' marks its ground as an angry punk song with hard guitar skanks and chaotic drums, while hard pounds, horns, claps and finger snaps on the reggae song, '
Shove It', bolsters attitude with lines like "We think you're a joke / Shove your hope where it don't shine" Santi's own version of a mosh-pit head-banger comes in the form of '
Say Aha', a ska song with weird background electronic woos throughout, a tribal breakdown in the middle and a powerful guitar solo at the end making you wish you were surfing on California waves.
The new-wave lullaby '
Lights Out' is a flawless tune with an irresistible synth-like guitar in its chorus and soft 'Ah-ah-ah-ah's' as Santi sings, "Darlin' don't got to worry you're locked in tight / Darlin' now don't you worry turn out the light" The Diplo produced songs, '
Starstruck' and '
Unstoppable' give the album a bit of a hip-hop approach with heavy electronic based beats and lyrics that flaunt confidence. '
I'm a Lady' is White's version of a Pixies song and the willowy '
Anne' is highly amusing with White's 'coos' and a door-shutting beat. The remix to '
You'll Find a Way' might even be better than its original with an Indian-inspired electronic song and a breakdown that is hard not to dance to.
'
Creator', a fan favorite, I find to be lacking musically unlike White's punk and new-wave productions, whereas '
My Superman', a dark Siouxsie and the Banshees inspired song, is lazy throughout and easy to skip. However, these songs aren't bad.
'
Your Voice', a song originally performed by White's reggae band Stiffed, was released as a bonus track on the Japan version of
Santogold and happens to be one of the best. Sad in it's chorus with lyrics like 'But maybe we'll never end up" the song is sweet with its island flow of reggae beats and soft vocals.
Now being 2012 with another album out already, White has changed the music scene in her own way. Producers that she worked with on this album like Diplo and Switch have now worked with Beyonce and Usher ultimately changing the sound of pop music today. (Even Jay-Z and Drake have sampled White's music on their own songs). Yet still a little underground, Santi has every right to believe she is artist that is true to herself when it comes to producing art. Look at her debut album, it incorporates every genre you can imagine.
During a concert a few years ago she asked her crowd, "Do you want to know why I'm puking up glitter on my album cover?"
"Why?" they asked.
"It's because everything that comes out of my mouth is gold!" White said. And she's right.
Top 5 Picks: 'Lights Out', 'L.E.S. Artistes', 'Shove It', 'I'm a Lady', 'Say Aha'
