In Progress

Santogold’s debut album — which has been in the works for a maddeningly long time — has finally leaked! And it’s goood! Am listening to it now, but here’s what I wrote about it after hearing the first few singles a few months back.

It’s a new day for Stateside underground hip hop — a happier, grimier, dubbier day, thanks to Santogold, a bold new sound from Brooklyn. And who knows, Santogold may not even end up included in this category when she hits the mainstream. But whatever she ends up classified as, you’ll be hearing her soon…everywhere.

Santi White is the Philly-born, Brooklyn-based core of Santogold along with longtime collaborator John Hill. From White’s days in punk with her former band Stiffed to her new mostly solo act, she’s loaded up a roster of eclectic musical partners on her resume, from the always delightful Spank Rock to Diplo to Mark Ronson and London producer Switch. She’s even written songs for Lily Allen and Ashlee Simpson along the way.

So you can expect her forthcoming album to be as stylistically diverse as her singles currently out. Take a listen to the dubby reggae of Shove It, the new wave pop sincerity of L.E.S. Artistes, and the insistent dub and rock beats and analog loops of Creator, on which she wails, raps, and chants. By borrowing from so many styles, Santogold makes her contribution to the modern soundtrack of global pop culture, and slick production pulls the tracks together for a unified sound.

These days, she’s busy filming her first video, prepping her forthcoming self-titled debut slated for a spring release, and responding to interview requests with journalists eager to pin her as the next big thing (ahem). No doubt, Santogold is ready to reach a wider audience, after tours opening for Bjork and MIA (along with another powerful female MC Amanda Blank), she’s playing Coachella in April. The wider audience better get ready for her.

Santogold on MySpace
Santogold on Last.FM

Posted on April 27th, 2008 by DeepthiW
Filed under: Global Culture, Music, Uncategorized