KELLARISSA Flamingo (Mint)

Arty-farty pop is a law unto itself. That is, if Larissa Loyva’s (a.k.a. Kellarissa) first release under the Mint label, is anything to go by. Employing austere piano/keyboards/guitar accompliments or cheesy drum synths, with melody lines that range from bubblegummy to atonal to ethnic, Kellarissa never fails to subvert expectations (the last track is a traditional Finnish song!). Not an easy album to assimiliate into any form of mainstream consciousness – one particular track (Virta Vie) combines a low machine hum with hymn-like reverie – Kellarissa is very much an acquired taste but for music lovers who enjoy the challenge of embracing pop as art, then Flamingo may just be right up your alley.

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