Imani Coppola - The Black & White Album

Ipecac thrive on releasing albums that subvert expectations, even within single songs, and this collection of traumatic pop songs is an outstanding addition to the label's catalogue. With a tender voice that somehow soothes while spitting out acerbic lyrics of misanthropy, racism and a fetish too far, Peeping Tom member Imani Coppola shows that she is no mere singer/songwriter and more a wonderment of musical adventures. And she's in no way hindered by her knack for writing awesome lyrics – "sometimes it feels like everyone's being a dick / but they're not it's just you being a dick to everyone" or the outstanding punk snarl of Woke Up White Today. If Coppola wanted to make straight pop music she'd surely be soullessly huge, but instead we all benefit from her irreverent genre games. The flirtations with crunk R'n'B can be almost cringe worthy in their parodying, but in the right light they feel all the more worthwhile. (Ali Maloney)