Alice Cohen - Pink Keys (Vinyl LP, CD)

Alice Cohen returns with her second album for Crinoline assisted this time by the newly revived Olde English Spelling Bee.

Anyone familiar with the name may know a little of Cohen’s almost-pop career in the mid ‘80s as front-woman for minimalist synth pop outfit The Vels or maybe her adventures in the ‘90s with Die Monster Die, her very brief stint with Helivator, her current forays into more experimental musical forms and maybe even the video art she’s recently created for the likes of Ducktails (her ‘Landrunner’ video is outstanding), Coasting and Greatest Hits among others. How Cohen found herself tied up in the whole hypnagogic movement I’m not entirely sure but her roots in minimalist soul, disco and synth pop make her the perfect hypnagogmother to this loose collective of creative characters.

‘Pink Keys’ is the kind of album I could happily listen to over and over - especially in this hazy summer heat. Cohen’s creative instincts for pop songcraft are second to none, she’s also fortunate enough to be blessed with a beautiful voice and mad synth skills. Like Prince, you get the impression that Cohen could churn out infinite rays of perfect pop indefinitely with little to no effort. ‘Pink Keys’ offers up eleven magical pop variations Madonna would be proud of. A must-own record.