Nowadays, it seems that anyone with a laptop can be a musician. Victoria Hesketh knows this, but no time soon will you be seeing her with too many run-of-the-mill electronic “instruments.” Instead, the English synthpop musician, better known by her stage name Little Boots, combines her traditional piano background with house beats created by a Tenori-on, a beat-making tablet. The latter has played such a strong influence in Hesketh’s career that Little Boots may as well be a duo: one-half Hesketh and the other half the LED-flickering musical gadget. Although the Tenori-on was only introduced in 2005, Hesketh performs with it as if she has known it all her life and continues creating catchy beats in her latest album “Nocturnes.”
Hesketh claims to draw inspiration for her new release from Edgar Allen Poe: Indeed, everything from the album’s title to the melody of most tracks is quite melancholic compared to its peppier predecessor “Hands.” If there were any doubts that synthpop could sound so solemn, the opening track “Motorway” — with its pulsing beat and orchestral production that delves into a moody psyche — diminishes them. Most of the other tracks follow suit, set in morose minor keys and heavily reliant on the Tenori-on’s metronomic rhythm. Despite the fact that they are all in keeping with this theme, the songs don’t sound like slight variations on the same beat, a veniality common among house musicians. Instead, Hesketh mixes up her tracks with sounds from other genres, such as in “Beat Beat,” which is highly reminiscent of funky Motown. Other standouts include the lead single “Shake,” which at times veers toward insipid runway music but is saved by its addictive melody and beats.
In addition to skillful songwriting and the use of the (literally) shiny new Tenori-on, what sets Hesketh apart from other technologically advanced artists is her own voice. Though peers of her genre can sound grating or cloying, Hesketh is refreshingly posh and has a vocal maturity that belies her years. She can easily do without the fancy electronics. However, her voice perfectly complements her modern instruments, striking a peerless balance between the two. For this reason, Little Boots is like our new ABBA — classic and catchy all at once. Hesketh is paving the way for other musicians and their novel instruments: After all, as she says in one of her strongest tracks “Every Night I Say a Prayer,” she has “seen into the future.” (9/10)
