Santogold [PA]

Performer: Santogold
Artist: Spankrock; Spank Rock; FreQ Nasty; Switch; Trouble Andrew
Engineer: John Hill; Jonnie Davis "Most"; S. White; John Morrical
Producer: John Hill; Switch; Jonnie Davis "Most"; S. White
Distributor: Alternative Dis. Alliance

Notes: Santogold: C. Treece (drums). Personnel: S. White (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Spank Rock (vocals); John Hill (guitar, keyboards, programming); A.K. Hunter (horns). Audio Mixers: John Hill ; Samuel "Vaughan" Merrick; Switch; S. White; Dan Carey. Audio Remixer: Switch. Recording information: Pitch Black Studios, Brooklyn, NY; SchoolHouse Studio, New York, NY. While buzz built furiously around Santogold's 2008 debut, writers longing to seem in-the-know could not resist comparing the New York City based singer-songwriter to M.I.A. The appraisal proved both blessing and curse; at the time, the Sri Lankan wunderkind was indie-fan gold and any connection could not hurt exposure, but it also opened her to the inevitable (and grossly unfair) accusations of being a carbon copy. The two do share a producer, have frequently performed together, and on many tracks like the frenetic "Shove It" and the swirlingly hypnotic "Creator," the similarity is undeniable. However, the mass of SANTOGOLD owes more to the reggae, no wave, punk, and synth pop coming out as the NYC of the '70s crashed into the '80s. On opening track and debut single "L.E.S. Artistes," Santogold channels Dale Bozzio over whirling, confectionary, nostalgic pop reminiscent of Missing Persons, while on the sinister "My Superman," she summons up shadows of Siouxsie Sioux. While her music owes to many sources, she places her own indelible spin on her creations and recreations, opening herself up for one more comparison with M.I.A., releasing a record which is one of the most talked about of its year. Santogold, the collaboration between Santi White and former Stiffed bandmate John Hill, first began receiving notice in late 2007, thanks mostly to the release of the single "Creator," which seemed to point White in the direction of an M.I.A. knockoff. The debut full-length, however, shows Santogold to be a unique group, one that pulls equally from dub, pop-punk, hip-hop, electro, and rock without succumbing to the archetypes of any. Much of this is because of the contributions from Hill, who adds plenty of guitars and warm keyboards, encouraging White to fill out the songs, the verses, and the hooks, with her rich Gwen Stefani-meets-Janelle Mon�e voice. "I'm a Lady," despite the fact it could belong in the late-'90s pop canon, is delightfully catchy and inviting; "L.E.S. Artistes" sounds like a fuller, brighter Tegan and Sara song; and "My Superman" is the urban 21st century's version of a sultry jazz standard. In fact, Hill is so instrumental in creating the diversity and lushness of sound that the pieces in which he doesn't contribute, or contributes very little, are markedly different. Switch, the producer responsible for M.I.A.'s Kala, shows off his impressive beat-making skills on "Creator," which features White doing the singsongy rap that has helped make Maya Arulpragasam so popular ("Me, I'm a creator, thrill is to make it up/The rules I break got me a place up on the radar"), and the Diplo-helmed "Unstoppable" marries dub and Hollertronix electronica nicely. These are the exceptions to the overall sound, however (and their very rarity makes them so much more appealing, and evidence of the work of a complete artist, not one trying to follow the coattails of another), because most of Santogold lacks that jagged angularity that drives M.I.A.'s records. Instead, the album is informed by pop and good humor, the importance of melody and structure never overshadowed by rhythm and dancefloor-worthiness. This is music that looks outward at the pan-continental landscape while staying firmly adherent to and respectful of its deeply American roots; it's the emerging -- and hopeful -- face of the new millennium, and an altogether shining accomplishment. ~ Marisa Brown

Rolling Stone (p.83) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The touchstone for her tough rhyming and sultry singing is the U.K.'s 2 Tone movement, which mixed punk, ska and dub into a post-racial pop idyll." Rolling Stone (p.89) - Ranked #6 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- "[T]he most ear-opening debut of 2008." Spin (p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Appeasing her inner freak while summoning the hooks to go pop, this well-connected genre-bender transmits the results in multiple soundclash mutations..." Spin (p.52) - Ranked #6 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "Santi White concocts her own dance-floor ultramodernity, incorporating '80s new wave, reggae, and coconut-flavored electro." Entertainment Weekly (p.119) - "[I]n an era that retro-fetishizes rock and whitewashed pop, SANTOGOLD feels both raw and real." -- Grade: A- Q (Magazine) (p.146) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "White lends her throaty tones to reggae-rock on 'You'll Find A Way'....An album front-loaded with highlights..." Clash (magazine) (p.117) - "From the rolling dub-punches of 'Shove It' to the Boney M-gone cyber-pop strut of 'Say Aha,' SANTOGOLD is a thrilling rollercoaster ride..." Clash (magazine) (p.69) - Ranked #08 in Clash's "The 40 Best Albums of 2008" -- "[P]unked up, dubbed down indie screamers."

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