October 16, 2008
New Zealand Is Burning
Sweden has imported as many pop singers as they have Ikea stores: Robyn, Lykke Li, Jens Lekman, the list goes on. But New Zealand? Only the zany folkies of Flight of the Conchords have arrived on U.S. shores in recent years.
But here comes Ladyhawke (aka Pip Brown). Labelmate to the Modular boys’ club (Cut Copy, The Presets), Ladyhawke’s Paris Is Burning is an action-packed 26-minute E.P. Whereas her peers traffic in dance floor anthems, Brown’s like Chrissie Hynde’s shaggy blond sister with a sweet tooth for Top 40. The feisty title track (“Tell me the truth, is it love or just Paris?”) is here, with two club-lusting remixes (one en français; the other by Cut Copy). “Back of the Van” meets the Motels for some backseat romance in the parking lot. And bonus track “Danny and Jenny” rides Berlin’s “Metro” to love’s last stop.
A self-titled full-length is due in the U.S. in December. Available now as an import, it’s what The Killers would call a hot fuss — 13 short, sharp singles waiting for radio glory. And if there are other Kiwi sisters with this much sass and panache, Modern Tonic might just declare New Zealand the new Sweden.
Paris Is Burning is available now from Modular Records. The full length album Ladyhawke will be available domestically December 9.
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