Review: Little Boots - Hands

I've already lost faith in pop music when I got to hear Little Boot's debut album "Hands", which is a splendid combination of various electronic manners and pop tunes. Victoria Hesketh who is behind the moniker Little Boots has done the pop album that I've been waiting six months already. Probably some of you would definitely disagree with time, but for me pop music has more to offer than Britney whining like a dog in pain or Mandy Moore, who just couldn't let go off the whole bubbly dingy.

"Hands" is an album that deserves a good load of praise, although it has its flaws, but they are less than a pain in the ass. Little Boots is part of the fast growing new electro movement and competition is definitely big, but playing with the right cards get you straight to the top of the ladder just a hand away from the crown. Hesketh's story could easily pass as a dream come true and her late success is the proof that even quality music can wide open doors. "Hands" is the sum up of all of her music experiments throughout the years going from jazz, electro, disco, experimental, indietronica, punk and power pop, thus the astonishing stylistic variety and the loads of elements used in the songs. That actually is a good reason why some of the tracks sound like they have been taken out of different releases.

Victoria has been given quite a lot of freedom as experiments flow from one into another, diversity spreads all over the album and extended list of music influences back up every single track. The mere fact that she is no new to the music business has given her the opportunity to spend enough time working on the style she wants to introduce and develop a lyrical concept, which has something to say and is not trying to be over the top. What I like about her attitude towards the whole fuzz surrounding her right now is the fact she is less than impressed and doesn't really give a damn about media attention just for her to promote herself.

"Hands", of course, is not lacking some flaws, like repetition of several lyrical ideas and the use of some annoying electronic elements, as well as a couple of songs could easily pass as fillers. This shouldn't keep you off from giving a full listen to one of the most promising pop releases of 2009 and soon to be big Victoria Hesketh aka Little Boots.

Songs to hear: "Stuck on Repeat", "Remedy", "Meddle", "New In Town", "No Brakes" and "Hearts Collide"

Personal rating: 9 out of 10

Discoveries: Little Boots & La Roux

New music! Yay! This time I am posting three of my newest discoveries, which I hope will soon grow on me. They are both British, both female and both are promising.

Little Boots

Little Boots is the stage name of Victoria Hesketh, a British electronica musician born 1984. Her music career began at the age of 18, when she took part in Pop Idol, but never made it through round 4. After that she formed a jazz trio, toured Europe and afterward formed the electro-pop all-girl band Dead Disco. She was named Little Boots after watching "Caligula", which is little boots in English. Hesketh has worked with the British band Hot Chip. In January 2009 she won the BBC Sound of 2009 award, which had previously been granted to Adele, Mika, Keane and others.



La Roux

La Roux is not your typical synth duo as it actually isn't a duo, but the collaborative work between singer and synthesizer player Elly Jackson and the co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. La Roux is French for "red-haired one" and it is a direct reference to Jackson's typical hair style, thus the projects name. They draw inspirations from such bands as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Eurythmics and The Human League, interpreting the music of the 80s in the electronic world of the 00s. La Roux is expected to release an album in June on Polydor, although an EP has already been made available.

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In For the Kill