Niobe
White Hats
Tomlab

Yvonne Cornelius records as Niobe, in Greek myth Niobe bragged of her children and thus angered the god Zeus who struck them down.

Niobe's new album is strange and lovely electronica. "Give all the Love" is a woozy version of soul as seen through a nostalgic sheen. "Surround Your Hover" is what bossa becomes when its dragged into our century. "Touch this Flower" sounds romantic with its sweeping orchestration. "Up Hill and Down Dale" is an abstract sound collage of hip hop and soul. The unearthly vocals play against it fine.

"Cool Alpine" ends the album with a disco trip back to the seventies. This is an odd and cool little album for the heat of summer and beyond.

Copyright © 2006 Anna Maria Stjärnell