Lock and listen.
Singer-songwriters have been enjoying something of a comeback in recent years, with artists such as James Blunt and Lily Allen topping the charts and throwing the genre into the spotlight. British-born Imogen Heap is no newcomer to the scene, having recorded her first album 'i Megaphone' in 1998; although her largest successes have been relatively recent in her career, thanks to her work in Frou Frou (a collaboration with Guy Sigsworth) and contributions to film soundtracks such as 'Garden State' (with Frou Frou) and 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.
'Headlock' is taken from Ms. Heap's most recent album, 'Speak For Yourself' and will be released during a major UK tour. Written, performed and produced by Imogen; one of the the track's most striking features is her original vocal style, which can switch from soft and ethereal to a deeper, throatier sound in a moment, giving depth and emotion to the song's lyrics and overall feel. 'Headlock' features a strong beat and bassline; in addition to many electronic elements, reminiscent of Tori Amos' 'To Venus and Back' album. Some traditional instruments, including strings, do seem to be present in the background, but as in the Frou Frou project, electronica is clearly a major influence - and the track certainly does not suffer for it.
The single also includes a 'High Contrast Remix', but this is something of a disappointment, I for one only listened to it all the way through in the interests of writing a fair review! The drums are too noisy and the BPM have been jacked up to a speed that is noisy and uncomfortable. Imogen's beautiful vocals are pushed into the background, and the electronic vocals effects are too brash and render the track slightly cheesy. It would have been more pleasant to have had a new track as a b-side than this type of remix, which seems to have been added only to ensure that the CD has two tracks.