Santogold - Self-titled

Rating:

* * * *

The voice of New York-based singer

Santogold (real name Santi White) sounds a lot like some other great

singers. Even so, it makes for a unique centrepiece to her debut album.

She

has a cool, sonic squawk, best heard on opener

L.E.S. Artistes

, that is

similar to Karen O from New York noise rockers the Yeah Yeah Yeahs; on

the dreamy pop of

Lights Out

she's a soft Lily Allen; and on the creepy

My Superman

this black girl originally from Philadelphia becomes

Siouxsie Sioux.

Because White - who moved to New York in 2005

where her career kicked off with collaborations alongside Lily Allen

and on Mark Ronson's excellent 2007 release

Version

-  has a style that

combines singing and MCing she's most closely related to militant

British madame M.I.A.

However, Santogold, which blends dancehall, ska,

new wave, rock, and underground hip-hop, is more inviting than the

often frenetic and hard sound of M.I.A.

Album highlight

Say Aha

is driven by horn blasts and a double-dutch beat,

Shove It's

head-nodding skank harks back to 80s boy band Musical Youth doing

Pass
the Dutchie

, and it's White's urgent rap that gives way to a soaring

shriek that hovers forbodingly above the primal beats and bleeps of

Creator

.

This woman has a powerful and distinct voice, hear her holler.

Scott Kara