Track Review: Santigold – “Disparate Youth”

[Downtown / Roc Nation; 2012]

Santigold made a pretty big fuss back in 2008 – amid a sea of indie-blog-hype, her self-titled debut album won plenty of critical acclaim and connected with the public, but in the wake of its success and some touring, she kinda dropped off the radar. Apart from the odd track here and there (like that fun tune she did for Converse), Santi seemingly vanished, which is a rare career move for any new artist in this fleeting digital age.

But now she’s back with a new single, “Disparate Youth,” in support of a new album, Master of My Make-Believe. And if this first official single is any indication, Santigold hasn’t lost her touch. Produced by Ricky Blaze and the singer herself, “Disparate Youth”’s melody has been stuck in my head since the first time I played it – and though I’m still not even sure what all the lyrics are, I can’t stop humming it. This was apparently released properly via iTunes today, and a full remix EP will be put out sometime in April (the album drops May 1st). If you were a fan of the debut record, this is definitely worth checking out, and is a refreshing reminder of just how talented a pop artist Santigold remains.

8/10