Titiyo - Hidden (2008)

CANADIAN IMPORT - The title of Sweden's Queen of Soul might not seem one of modern music's most coveted crowns but, in Sweden itself, there is little doubt that Titiyo not only merits all the acclaim lavished by her homeland, but that international acclaim has already demolished borders across much of Europe too.

Hidden is her fifth studio album and the follow-up to 2001’s chart-topping Come Along LP. It is a record that sounds distinctly far-removed from Sweden’s customary jaunty, upbeat indie-pop and navigates an alluringly darker sound more akin to Bristol’s Portishead, the avant-garde of Tricky, and the kraut-rock influence of Kraftwerk.

Following the huge success of Come Along, it took almost five years for Titiyo to write again, and she headed right back to basics. Purchasing the cheapest and most aesthetically ‘ugly’ analog Casio synth she could lay her hands upon, Titiyo fell back in love with the simple, stripped back approach of a basic synth and an Omnicord. It reminded her of the endless hours spent discovering her voice as a teenager alongside her sister Neneh Cherry and brother Eagle Eye Cherry, reinvigorating Titiyo to reacquaint herself with the past in order to head future forward. Hidden became a real labour of love for Titiyo, and one that has since re-positioned her as an artist of genre-warping capabilities. The torchlit anthem of "Longing For Lullabies" has already worked its way around the world and it becomes almost the quintessential vibe that Hidden assuredly delivers. Titiyo may be a fresh name on North American soil, but the subtleties and seamless beauty of Hidden is a fascinating introduction.