31. Anneli Drecker- Frolic


There's something mightily wrong here when an accessible record like this second album from Norwegian's Anneli (Marian) Drecker doesn't get a worldwide release. The voice behind electronic moodmeisters Bel Canto has been underground for some time now with her product fairly difficult to get, virtually in the same fashion Bel Canto fared- the band gaining popularity in Europe with their first three albums, then falling into quiet anonimity and the last few CDs only available through Norwegian import. Drecker has not been completely blanked out- her beautiful voice appears on albums by Royksopp with whom she has toured in recent times and who repay her by producing first track You Don't Have To Change on this album. It's a pretty light album with references to her Bel Canto-past less the ethereal bits but a more groovy New Romantic-feeling. It's her vocals that lift the album up and make it a favourite in my player, still possessing that innocent charm, the lightly Nordic accent in her accent but clear as crystal. A very likeable record.