Personnel: S. White (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Spank Rock (vocals); John Hill (guitar, keyboards, programming); A.K. Hunter (horns).

Audio Mixers: John Hill ; Samuel "Vaughan" Merrick; Switch; S. White; Dan Carey.

Audio Remixer: Switch.

Recording information: Pitch Black Studios, Brooklyn, NY; SchoolHouse Studio, New York, NY.

While buzz built furiously around Santogold's 2008 debut, writers longing to seem in-the-know could not resist comparing the New York City based singer-songwriter to M.I.A. The appraisal proved both blessing and curse; at the time, the Sri Lankan wunderkind was indie-fan gold and any connection could not hurt exposure, but it also opened her to the inevitable (and grossly unfair) accusations of being a carbon copy. The two do share a producer, have frequently performed together, and on many tracks like the frenetic "Shove It" and the swirlingly hypnotic "Creator," the similarity is undeniable.

However, the mass of SANTOGOLD owes more to the reggae, no wave, punk, and synth pop coming out as the NYC of the '70s crashed into the '80s. On opening track and debut single "L.E.S. Artistes," Santogold channels Dale Bozzio over whirling, confectionary, nostalgic pop reminiscent of Missing Persons, while on the sinister "My Superman," she summons up shadows of Siouxsie Sioux. While her music owes to many sources, she places her own indelible spin on her creations and recreations, opening herself up for one more comparison with M.I.A., releasing a record which is one of the most talked about of its year.

Santogold, the collaboration between Santi White and former Stiffed bandmate John Hill, first began receiving notice in late 2007, thanks mostly to the release of the single "Creator," which seemed to point White in the direction of an M.I.A. knockoff. The debut full-length, however, shows Santogold to be a unique group, one that pulls equally from dub, pop-punk, hip-hop, electro, and rock without succumbing to the archetypes of any. Much of this is because of the contributions from Hill, who adds plenty of guitars and warm keyboards, encouraging White to fill out the songs, the verses, and the hooks, with her rich Gwen Stefani-meets-Janelle Monáe voice. "I'm a Lady," despite the fact it could belong in the late-'90s pop canon, is delightfully catchy and inviting; "L.E.S. Artistes" sounds like a fuller, brighter Tegan and Sara song; and "My Superman" is the urban 21st century's version of a sultry jazz standard. In fact, Hill is so instrumental in creating the diversity and lushness of sound that the pieces in which he doesn't contribute, or contributes very little, are markedly different. Switch, the producer responsible for M.I.A.'s Kala, shows off his impressive beat-making skills on "Creator," which features White doing the singsongy rap that has helped make Maya Arulpragasam so popular ("Me, I'm a creator, thrill is to make it up/The rules I break got me a place up on the radar"), and the Diplo-helmed "Unstoppable" marries dub and Hollertronix electronica nicely. These are the exceptions to the overall sound, however (and their very rarity makes them so much more appealing, and evidence of the work of a complete artist, not one trying to follow the coattails of another), because most of Santogold lacks that jagged angularity that drives M.I.A.'s records. Instead, the album is informed by pop and good humor, the importance of melody and structure never overshadowed by rhythm and dancefloor-worthiness. This is music that looks outward at the pan-continental landscape while staying firmly adherent to and respectful of its deeply American roots; it's the emerging -- and hopeful -- face of the new millennium, and an altogether shining accomplishment. ~ Marisa Brown