Santigold: 'Master of My Make-Believe'

After mesmerizing audiences with the frenetic percussion and eerie synths of her smash hit, "Creator," Santigold fell into a four-year slump crippled by self-doubt. It seems to have worked in her favor, as Master of My Make-Believe is a profound step forward. The album starts off with a reggae feel that sets the tone for the album. "GO!"'s eerie vocals emulate Inuit throat singing as syncopated percussion pulsate to the hip-hop fervor of her lyrics. Reminiscent of the 90's riot grrrl movement, Karen O's sultry timbre preludes Santigold's "people want my power" croon. Produced by a long list of collaborators (including Diplo, Switch, and TV on the Radio's David Sitek), the album has an electronic flavor, with euphoric synths cascading over somber dub tones as Santigold rebelliously chants, "while we sleep in America, our house is burning down" in "The Keepers." In "This Isn't Our Parade," she garners a more timid persona as her soft vibrato coaxes the abrasive synths. Master of My Make-Believe boasts a newfound maturity and more surely solidifies Santigold's place as one of America's most aggressive girl pop acts.

★★★★ ½ (out of 5 stars)