Looking for a very specific type of female-fronted electronic music
March 7, 2010 3:00 PM Subscribe
I'm on the hunt for a certain type of music: sparse but accessible electronica with sweet, clear female vocals, pretty melodic lines and an emotional delivery, and has come out in the last few years.
I have seen some other electronic music questions, but none seem exactly like what I'm looking for.
A few examples of albums/songs that would fit this description include The Knife's Silent Shout, Fever Ray's Fever Ray, and Martina Topley-Bird's song "Phoenix." I have had a hard time finding anyone else who truly fits that description. In particular from the examples I listed, I love the emotional depth of Fever Ray's album. I like Portishead's older stuff, but their latest effort is a bit too dreary and noisy for me to really get into. Massive Attack's latest album only has a couple songs that fit the bill.
So I'm looking for somewhat minimalist yet musical and melodic electronica - not super-produced, thick stuff like Delerium or Imogen Heap, and not a sound that could be described as "lounge-y." And I hate the sound of voices bogged down by Autotune; that can really make vocal-centric music unlistenable for me. I want the singer to sound natural, not computerized. Some of my favorite current female singer-songwriters are Nina Persson, Marissa Nadler, Anna-Lynne Williams, and Stephanie Dosen... I guess ideally I am looking for singers with that sort of warmth and melodic sense, but with sparse electronica for the production. It's OK if guitars are involved, but it should be electronic music, primarily.
Thanks all.
I have seen some other electronic music questions, but none seem exactly like what I'm looking for.
A few examples of albums/songs that would fit this description include The Knife's Silent Shout, Fever Ray's Fever Ray, and Martina Topley-Bird's song "Phoenix." I have had a hard time finding anyone else who truly fits that description. In particular from the examples I listed, I love the emotional depth of Fever Ray's album. I like Portishead's older stuff, but their latest effort is a bit too dreary and noisy for me to really get into. Massive Attack's latest album only has a couple songs that fit the bill.
So I'm looking for somewhat minimalist yet musical and melodic electronica - not super-produced, thick stuff like Delerium or Imogen Heap, and not a sound that could be described as "lounge-y." And I hate the sound of voices bogged down by Autotune; that can really make vocal-centric music unlistenable for me. I want the singer to sound natural, not computerized. Some of my favorite current female singer-songwriters are Nina Persson, Marissa Nadler, Anna-Lynne Williams, and Stephanie Dosen... I guess ideally I am looking for singers with that sort of warmth and melodic sense, but with sparse electronica for the production. It's OK if guitars are involved, but it should be electronic music, primarily.
Thanks all.
Best answer: Lali Puna
Camille
Also check out recent Blonde Redhead (the album 23 especially) although it's quite guitary and discordant.
posted by fire&wings at 3:12 PM on March 7, 2010
Camille
Also check out recent Blonde Redhead (the album 23 especially) although it's quite guitary and discordant.
posted by fire&wings at 3:12 PM on March 7, 2010
The Chemical Brothers' collaborations with Beth Orton sound like they would fit the bill: for example Where Do I Begin? or The State We're In.
posted by Electric Dragon at 3:12 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by Electric Dragon at 3:12 PM on March 7, 2010
I don't really understand, since The Knife's vocals on Silent Shout are hardly "clear" or "sweet." They're more like the polar opposite of that.
But I recommend:
Ms. John Soda
Lenka
Decoder Ring (album Fractions, though only some of the songs have female vocals)
Goldfrapp (album Seventh Tree)
Dirty Projectors (song "Stillness is the Move")
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:27 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
But I recommend:
Ms. John Soda
Lenka
Decoder Ring (album Fractions, though only some of the songs have female vocals)
Goldfrapp (album Seventh Tree)
Dirty Projectors (song "Stillness is the Move")
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:27 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's not recent, and her voice is distorted (not Auto-tuned, but distorted like a guitar would be) but Portishead is AWESOME.
posted by Brittanie at 3:28 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by Brittanie at 3:28 PM on March 7, 2010
Not sure if this is close at all, but you might want to check out Ellie Goulding.
1 + 2
posted by icy at 3:28 PM on March 7, 2010
1 + 2
posted by icy at 3:28 PM on March 7, 2010
BTW, Lenka was the female singer on that Decoder Ring album.
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:29 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:29 PM on March 7, 2010
Only thing I could think of is from many years ago: Underwater.
posted by herrdoktor at 3:55 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by herrdoktor at 3:55 PM on March 7, 2010
Seconding Lali Puna.
Maybe Lykke Li or Tujiko Noriko.
Broadcast might also fit your bill, although they're going back more than the last few years.
And if at all the "minimalist yet musical and melodic" can outweigh the need for it to be electronica, you might like to listen to some Susanna & the Magical Orchestra.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:00 PM on March 7, 2010
Maybe Lykke Li or Tujiko Noriko.
Broadcast might also fit your bill, although they're going back more than the last few years.
And if at all the "minimalist yet musical and melodic" can outweigh the need for it to be electronica, you might like to listen to some Susanna & the Magical Orchestra.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:00 PM on March 7, 2010
Check out the new album of Lindstrom & Christabelle. Awkward title but very cool.
posted by felix betachat at 4:00 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by felix betachat at 4:00 PM on March 7, 2010
This one's a bit more melodic & up yr alley, I think.
posted by felix betachat at 4:02 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by felix betachat at 4:02 PM on March 7, 2010
Dot Allison, Sia, The Bird and the Bee, Heather Duby, Leona Naess, Orenda Fink, Maria Taylor, Sing Sing, or, to go back a little further into the past: Lush.
posted by dizziest at 4:23 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by dizziest at 4:23 PM on March 7, 2010
Goldfrapp . A&E being a great song of hers
posted by assasinatdbeauty at 4:37 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by assasinatdbeauty at 4:37 PM on March 7, 2010
The vocal is backmasked but clear, and the song is only one minute and seven seconds long, but your request had me thinking of Always It's Gonna Be Like That by Prefuse 73.
(sorry, that's the closest I could find to a free play online. Track 9).
posted by mreleganza at 4:39 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
(sorry, that's the closest I could find to a free play online. Track 9).
posted by mreleganza at 4:39 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Not sure if any of these are slam-dunks for you -- each may be a little off from the ur-sound of the examples you gave -- but these fit the bill of sparse, accessible, not-overwrought, electronic music with sweet female-fronted vocals for me:
Sally Shapiro - Find My Soul
Swayzak - Make Up Your Mind
Barbara Morgenstern - Der Augenblick
Laub - Mofa
Luomo - Tessio
Model 500 - The Flow (Juan Atkins Mix)
Glass Candy - Beatific
Ladytron - Evil
Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Let It Happen
Ruth - Polaroïd/Roman/Photo
Tujiko Noriko - Zipper
Not electronic, but seeming to fit anyway, bonus track:
Dub Narcotic Sound System (feat. Lois) - Ship to Shore
Also, I know you said that Portishead's new album didn't really do it for you. I felt the same way, but thought that this benefit single that they recorded for Amnesty International was fantastic:
Portishead - Chase the Tear
I doubt all of that will be what you want, but hopefully I've pointed out something you'll like.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:02 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sally Shapiro - Find My Soul
Swayzak - Make Up Your Mind
Barbara Morgenstern - Der Augenblick
Laub - Mofa
Luomo - Tessio
Model 500 - The Flow (Juan Atkins Mix)
Glass Candy - Beatific
Ladytron - Evil
Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Let It Happen
Ruth - Polaroïd/Roman/Photo
Tujiko Noriko - Zipper
Not electronic, but seeming to fit anyway, bonus track:
Dub Narcotic Sound System (feat. Lois) - Ship to Shore
Also, I know you said that Portishead's new album didn't really do it for you. I felt the same way, but thought that this benefit single that they recorded for Amnesty International was fantastic:
Portishead - Chase the Tear
I doubt all of that will be what you want, but hopefully I've pointed out something you'll like.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:02 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
You might like some of the Talkie Walkie album by Air, specifically "Cherry Blossom Girl" and "Surfing on a Rocket."
posted by 4ster at 5:44 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by 4ster at 5:44 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: royksopp? try vision one from their most recent album, junior.
posted by jus7brea7he at 6:02 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jus7brea7he at 6:02 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: There's a few tracks on Dntel's Life is Full of Possibilities that fit the bill. Beequeen also does mostly non-vocal tracks, but there's a song or two on Body Shop with really pretty vocals.
posted by ohisee at 6:11 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by ohisee at 6:11 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: School of Seven Bells has a lot of tracks that might fit the bill.
posted by FatherDagon at 6:15 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by FatherDagon at 6:15 PM on March 7, 2010
Minimum chips, from Melbourne, are pretty awesome.
posted by hot soup girl at 6:33 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by hot soup girl at 6:33 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: Bouncing off the Prefuse 73 rec, I'll suggest Savath & Savalas. You get a lot of Scott Herren's vocals in there, but Eva Puyuelo and Mia Doi Todd make noteworthy appearances on the albums Apropra't and Golden Pollen, respectively.
There's a few tracks on S's Puking & Crying that would fit the bill. I'm Fine... Bye Bye, You Decide, or The Coffin Of Your True Love (which I can't find online...I did include it in the latest MeFiSwap mix though, so this is a bit of a self-link if you wanna hear it). Caveats: older music, little glitchy, little rock-y, rather 'produced' for a 4-track electronica effort.
This Kleerup track feat. Lykki Li works: Until We Bleed.
If you don't love Juana Molina, there may be no help for you. Try Dar (Qué Difícil).
posted by carsonb at 6:56 PM on March 7, 2010
There's a few tracks on S's Puking & Crying that would fit the bill. I'm Fine... Bye Bye, You Decide, or The Coffin Of Your True Love (which I can't find online...I did include it in the latest MeFiSwap mix though, so this is a bit of a self-link if you wanna hear it). Caveats: older music, little glitchy, little rock-y, rather 'produced' for a 4-track electronica effort.
This Kleerup track feat. Lykki Li works: Until We Bleed.
If you don't love Juana Molina, there may be no help for you. Try Dar (Qué Difícil).
posted by carsonb at 6:56 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: Try Anja Garbarek, Cibelle, Cortney Tidwell, Elsiane, and Sol Seppy.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 6:58 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by LuckySeven~ at 6:58 PM on March 7, 2010
Have you taken a listen to Morcheeba?
posted by azpenguin at 7:38 PM on March 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by azpenguin at 7:38 PM on March 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Maybe Jem? A bit poppy but definitely minimalist.
Also Frou Frou - I know it's Imogen Heap, but not the same sort of production she uses in her own work.
Beth Orton, specifically her work with William Orbit.
Way Out West has some great female vocal songs - examples: Mindcircus, Don't Forget Me.
You weren't very specific with your criteria so I'll throw in Venus Hum too.
posted by mmoncur at 7:58 PM on March 7, 2010
Also Frou Frou - I know it's Imogen Heap, but not the same sort of production she uses in her own work.
Beth Orton, specifically her work with William Orbit.
Way Out West has some great female vocal songs - examples: Mindcircus, Don't Forget Me.
You weren't very specific with your criteria so I'll throw in Venus Hum too.
posted by mmoncur at 7:58 PM on March 7, 2010
Seconding Morcheeba, also maybe try Zero 7?
posted by witchstone at 8:04 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by witchstone at 8:04 PM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the recommendations everyone! It'll take me a while to properly listen to all of these but I appreciate all the responses. Keep them coming if you have any more.
posted by wondermouse at 10:28 PM on March 7, 2010
posted by wondermouse at 10:28 PM on March 7, 2010
OH! MY! GOD! You need to check out Everything But The Girl. Their last two CDs in the 1990s were absolutely phenomenal.
Look for the albums Walking Wounded and Temperamental. They're both superb. Relatively sparse and definitely accessible, and oh, her voice. It's so sweet. She's also sung a few songs for Massive Attack as well as a solo CD... but Walking Wounded and Temperamental are what you want.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:15 PM on March 7, 2010
Look for the albums Walking Wounded and Temperamental. They're both superb. Relatively sparse and definitely accessible, and oh, her voice. It's so sweet. She's also sung a few songs for Massive Attack as well as a solo CD... but Walking Wounded and Temperamental are what you want.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:15 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: What about La Roux? I really like the lead singer's vocal style and interpretation - if I'm not wrong she comes from a folksy music background but went into electronica after meeting her bandmate.
posted by aielen at 3:06 AM on March 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by aielen at 3:06 AM on March 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Books sort of fit your requirements. Very minimalistic, but so much so that the vocals are sort of an afterthought.
posted by UncleJoe at 7:45 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by UncleJoe at 7:45 AM on March 8, 2010
+1 for EBTG, I loved Walking Wounded.
I don't think anyone's mentioned Julee Cruise; her 1990 album Floating into the Night is pretty good. (She worked as a talent scout for Angelo Badalamenti, and he used her on some David Lynch projects like Twin Peaks & Blue Velvet.)
Julee Cruise - Falling
Julee Cruise - Mysteries of Love
posted by Bron at 8:01 AM on March 8, 2010
I don't think anyone's mentioned Julee Cruise; her 1990 album Floating into the Night is pretty good. (She worked as a talent scout for Angelo Badalamenti, and he used her on some David Lynch projects like Twin Peaks & Blue Velvet.)
Julee Cruise - Falling
Julee Cruise - Mysteries of Love
posted by Bron at 8:01 AM on March 8, 2010
Best answer: Not exactly what you're describing, but I think you'd like Azure Ray.
posted by J-Garr at 8:56 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by J-Garr at 8:56 AM on March 8, 2010
Margo's "The Catnap" might work for you. But it was released in 2002, so there's that.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 10:30 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by soundofsuburbia at 10:30 AM on March 8, 2010
Do you know about Conjure One? I don't know if all of their songs have female vocals, but I think "Ordinary World", "Tears from the Moon", and "Center of the Sun" might meet your description (if I'm understanding you correctly, which I might not be).
posted by Vorteks at 11:51 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by Vorteks at 11:51 AM on March 8, 2010
Seconding Sally Shapiro.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 12:53 PM on March 8, 2010
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 12:53 PM on March 8, 2010
Response by poster: Let's see... Here are some of the best matches so far:
- Ladytron (though the vocals are a bit breathier/more atmospheric than what I really like, which is why they haven't caught my ear despite having heard of them before)
- Royksopp's "Vision One" - despite the computerized vocals, the aesthetic is not bad. The sound's a bit harsh but I kinda like it. I will have to look into them further.
- Listened to a few clips of Dntel. That sounds interesting, a little too glitchy/drifting at times, but interesting and I'll listen to some full tracks.
- Also seem to be liking School of Seven Bells somewhat.
Still getting through the rest.
Thanks again everyone. I'm super picky with what I'm looking for, and my taste is kind of unpredictable and illogical sometimes in terms of what works for me and what doesn't, so it's great to have all these suggestions here and don't be offended if your suggestion didn't match up to what I'm hearing in my mind's ear. ;) Also I really am looking for recent stuff, like say from 2005 on, and I should've been more specific about the date rather than saying just the last few years. I was a big fan of this sort of thing in the 90s, so I'm aware of a lot of the artists that were doing this at that time, and I am specifically interested in hearing what people are doing more recently.
I would say what's lacking most, even in some of the suggestions I like, is an emotional warmth and thoughtfulness to the singing and longer melodic phrases. A lot of it is still kind of choppy and repetitive, and that's something I really like about Fever Ray (despite the crazy man-voice-instrument Karin uses a lot) and Martina-Topley Bird. You're really drawn into what they're singing, and the songs have a solid structure, movement, and aren't stagnant.
And I don't really like electronica where the voice is treated more like just another instrument - drawn out, flat notes (stylistically, not pitch-wise) singing repetitive short phrases. It doesn't move me.
posted by wondermouse at 6:58 PM on March 8, 2010
- Ladytron (though the vocals are a bit breathier/more atmospheric than what I really like, which is why they haven't caught my ear despite having heard of them before)
- Royksopp's "Vision One" - despite the computerized vocals, the aesthetic is not bad. The sound's a bit harsh but I kinda like it. I will have to look into them further.
- Listened to a few clips of Dntel. That sounds interesting, a little too glitchy/drifting at times, but interesting and I'll listen to some full tracks.
- Also seem to be liking School of Seven Bells somewhat.
Still getting through the rest.
Thanks again everyone. I'm super picky with what I'm looking for, and my taste is kind of unpredictable and illogical sometimes in terms of what works for me and what doesn't, so it's great to have all these suggestions here and don't be offended if your suggestion didn't match up to what I'm hearing in my mind's ear. ;) Also I really am looking for recent stuff, like say from 2005 on, and I should've been more specific about the date rather than saying just the last few years. I was a big fan of this sort of thing in the 90s, so I'm aware of a lot of the artists that were doing this at that time, and I am specifically interested in hearing what people are doing more recently.
I would say what's lacking most, even in some of the suggestions I like, is an emotional warmth and thoughtfulness to the singing and longer melodic phrases. A lot of it is still kind of choppy and repetitive, and that's something I really like about Fever Ray (despite the crazy man-voice-instrument Karin uses a lot) and Martina-Topley Bird. You're really drawn into what they're singing, and the songs have a solid structure, movement, and aren't stagnant.
And I don't really like electronica where the voice is treated more like just another instrument - drawn out, flat notes (stylistically, not pitch-wise) singing repetitive short phrases. It doesn't move me.
posted by wondermouse at 6:58 PM on March 8, 2010
glad you liked vision one. totally forgot to mention the first time around but your follow-up reminded me: karin dreijer also did the vocals for a few royksopp tracks - namely, what else is there, this must be it, and tricky tricky. she's amazing - hope you enjoy!
posted by jus7brea7he at 8:26 PM on March 9, 2010
posted by jus7brea7he at 8:26 PM on March 9, 2010
Response by poster: jus7brea7he, yes, I saw that! I looked them up on Amazon, where at least some of the guest vocalists were listed. I was psyched when I saw it.
posted by wondermouse at 5:52 PM on March 11, 2010
posted by wondermouse at 5:52 PM on March 11, 2010
Check this song out. It is called Behind, and it is by the French band Lacquer (lyrics are in English).
posted by 4ster at 5:10 AM on March 14, 2010
posted by 4ster at 5:10 AM on March 14, 2010
Response by poster: The new Lali Puna album is pretty much exactly the sort of thing I was looking for (AutoTune notwithstanding, but it's still a somewhat natural vocal sound). I just got it off eMusic. wee!
posted by wondermouse at 7:42 PM on May 1, 2010
posted by wondermouse at 7:42 PM on May 1, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sinfony at 3:07 PM on March 7, 2010