Salient

Bachelorette is the swoony lovestruck creation of one Annabel Alpers. Never heard of her? This is her first solo effort, and her first foray into releasing, although she’s an old hand of the Christchurch music community. Annabel is responsible for everything on this album: guitars, keys, vocals and harmonies. She even programs the drum machine, revelling in the obviously electronic beats. Whatever happened to be lying around at the time has been included in this little synth-pop mix ‘n’ match gem.

These intensely private songs are at once whispered intimacy, and sparse, sky high electronica with a million miles between breaths. First track ‘My Electric Husband’ features the lyrics ‘my electric husband makes me milkshakes in the morning/ he’s my blender he’s my juicer he’s my happiness producer.’ Comparisons to the Flaming Lips are called for, and not just for lyrical oddities either. ‘Love is a Drug’s acoustic guitar and heavy-effects synth combo could have come straight out of The Soft Bulletin. Where these songs stand alone from their influences (fans of Cloudboy will find a lot to like) is in Annabel’s sublime harmonies, and her incredible ability to hold back. This less-is-more ethic is all very well, but a couple of tracks (Pebbles and Dirt, On The Four) felt too restrained. I found myself wanting a pay-off for what often seemed to be one long drawn out (albeit beautiful) build up. That aside, this is a little slice of sun-soaked, duvet-wrapped beauty – it just requires time.

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