the 31 best of 2008 – 24: Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke

It seems that 2008 was definitely the year for electro-indie acts; groups like MGMT, Cut Copy, and CSS (amongst many others) all got lots of exposure, and I keep seeing them popping up on many other year end lists. However, it was one of their fellow electro-indie peers, Ladyhawke, who hails all of the way from New Zealand, that truly captured my attention. Her debut album, Ladyhawke(not to be confused with the 80’s movie from where the band’s name comes), is rooted deeply the type of sound one might expect to hear at a hip late-night 80’s soiree, and it provides the soundtrack for a great night out on the town. The influences of 80s acts like Fleetwood Mac (specifically the songs penned and sung by Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks) are present throughout the album, and the style and swagger of acts like Blondie provides inspiration for some truly great retro-flavored, electro-pop tracks.

Ladyhawke has given us something truly great with her debut; there really isn’t a bad track on the album. Listening to this record makes me want to don way too much mascara, put on some skinny jeans, and head out for the night; not forgetting my fingerless gloves, jelly bracelets, and checkered scarf before heading out. It paints a picture of a smoky club, pulsating with dance-rock beats and cool kids filling the dance floor to dance the night away. The jangly guitars, the tender beats, and the smoky vocals all paint this picture so perfectly, that you can almost close your eyes and transport yourself into the scene. Cue the fog machines!

While this record may not get the same exposure as the efforts released by the aforementioned groups, I feel like it is more than deserving; Ladyhawke has delivered more than just a few singles that everyone will think you are cool for recognizing when they come on the radio. This album is filled with track after track of retrofitted greatness. It’s almost as if she was just teleported 20 years into the future, and made us a nostalgic, yet fully updated and current record for today. Regardless of her true origins, the result of her work is something that definitely deserves its spot on my year end list; I have had lots of fun listening to this album, and it is one of those albums that I know will continue to please my listening senses in the future.

Sparkle Factor:
Standouts: My Delerium, Dusk Til Dawn, Paris is Burning, Love Don’t Live Here.