mineral

It is impossible to even begin describing Himawari singer Lena without mentioning the name Björk. While Lena's style and intentions are clearly indebted to the Icelandic songstress, the fact that Himawari comes from Japan (via New York) makes the vocals a unique cross of European melodrama and Far Eastern playfulness and pop sensibility. Musically, the rhythmic heavy tracks find much of their inspiration in the rapid-fire mechanics of Autechre and early Squarepusher, which, incidentally, is where Björk has been getting much of her musical cues the past few years. So what makes Himawari different from its influences? Repeated listening reveals a song craftsmanship that stretches wider than first impressions. "Computer Energy" imagines Kraftwerk jamming with Aphex Twin, while "Home" ends up a great argument for pop hooks over a nice round house beat. While not breaking a whole lot of new ground here, Himawari does grab some of the best musical influences out there and distill them down to their most catchy and engaging parts.