Collected Sounds

Album Name: Kismet
Artist: Jesca Hoop / Jessica Hoop
Year/Label: 2007 / Nettwerk
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[Download at Amazon]

[Buy at Emusic]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

I am late to the Jesca Hoop party. Anna Maria mentioned Jessica (she was Jessica, then changed to Jesca) Hoop in her top albums of the year in 2007. So I knew OF her, but I had not listened to the music yet.

Being time challenged as I sometimes am, it took me awhile to check her out. I recently downloaded her album, Kismet from e-music and I can’t stop listening to it. It’s been like 4 weeks. I take it out of the car stereo for two seconds then put it back in. It’s like a sickness.

If you aren’t familiar with her here are some tidbits: she’s English (no she’s not, see comments). Her music sometimes reminds me of Sarah Slean, sometimes like Lily Allen. I’d call it very quirky pop.

While I love all the songs, the ones I get the most excited about are:
Intelligentactile 101: They don’t get much peppier, poppier than this. It’s a fun one to sing along with once you know what she’s saying.
Havoc in Heaven: Weird, cool, notes and rhythms along with odd phrasing makes this one of my favorites.
Out the Back Door: This one makes me want to dance. And I don’t dance.

Wow, I just realized she’s on Nettwerk (Sarah McLahlan’s label) I thought she was indie. Oh well, good label, good artist. It would have made it onto my best of list had I heard it when it was released. Hell, it just might make it on my 2009 list anyway. I make the rules, I can break ‘em if I want to.

Track Listing
1. Summertime
2. Seed of Wonder
3. Enemy
4. Silverscreen
5. Money
6. Dreams in the Hollow
7. Love is All We Have
8. Intelligentactile 101
9. Havoc in Heaven
10. Out the Back Door
11. Love and Love Again

[Jesca Hoop Official Site]

Carina Round has a new EP called Things You Should Know coming out soon (May 12). I’m following her on Twitter and she posted that we could download it on her site, but when I went, it just says you can pre-order. Or perhaps I missed something. Anyway, check it out

[Carina Round]

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