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Effervescent electro-pop
from London songbird

Lettie - Age of Solo
(Outerworld)
3 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: Dec. 5, 2008
Lettie

Review by Tony Bonyata

Lettie is one of London's emerging singer/songwriters that has just released her debut album Age of Solo. This 12-track collection of polished pop is steeped in electro bleeps and beats that mirrors the modern sounds bubbling from underneath the cobblestone of the age-old city she calls home.

The album opens up with the interesting number "Hero" which incorporates a downshifting hip-hop beat along with a lush string section, before segueing into the catchy electro-pop of "My Name Is" and then the laid-back disco-funk of "Future Retro." On the number "Future" a synthesized bleep ping-pongs across the rhythm, while Lettie's gentle vocal delivery melts through the icy, yet playful arrangement. And while melodic songs such as "What You Get" showcases her talent at crafting memorable pop numbers, it's actually her voice that turns out to be her secret weapon. Amid much of the synthetic production Lettie's demure voice offers a warm, humanistic foil to her decidedly modern music. She whispers and coos through "Eternity," while offering a wide-eyed, childlike delivery to the majestic number "Mission," and, through much of the album, raps in a detached, gentle way that's as cute as it is sensual.

While shades of M.I.A., Kate Bush and even Bjork may lurk within these dozen songs, Lettie's honey-kissed voice and effervescent electro-pop songs, that straddle between nostalgia and the unknown, prove that she's a truly unique artist in her own right. Hopefully, if there's any justice in the music world, we'll be hearing much more from this angel in the future.

Watch Lettie - "Atmosphere"

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