Ladyhawke

A sparkling, retro blend of lush electro beats, glossy disco shades, and new-wave riffs so cold, it’s 1986 all over again.

Kiwi-born popstress Phillipa “Pip” Brown, aka Ladyhawke, drops it like it’s h-o-t on her eponymous LP, with a globe-trotting, multi-instrumental sound that will leave you lusting for the shiny synths of yesteryear. After brief stints with New Zealand dirty rockers Two Lane Blacktop and Aussie indie darlings Teenager, Ladyhawke finally steps into the spotlight for a sparkling, retro blend of lush electro beats, glossy disco shades, and new-wave riffs so cold, it’s 1986 all over again. With longtime collaborator Pascal Gabriel (New Order, Kylie Minogue) producing killer cuts like “Magic,” “My Delirium,” and “Dusk Till Dawn,” and Brown’s vocals channeling Stevie Nicks (“Back of the Van”) and Chrissie Hynde (“Crazy World”), Ladyhawke is the ultimate pop perfection. If you’re old enough to remember the decade of decadence or even if you were just a babe in the ’80s, you’ll appreciate Ladyhawke’s genuine celebration of the era. This is definitely the most crushworthy album of 2008.