My Pet Fish

An unusual mix of atmospheric pop, electronica, and trip-hop, Malka Spigel's My Pet Fish capitalizes on her husky, Teutonic growl and odd phrasing, which gives songs like "Humans," "I Said, You Said," and "It's Odd" an icy, jaded, somewhat alien quality. Spigel adds a little nihilism to the mix on "Parasites" and "Like Machines," and while songs like "One" and "The Fishes & the Shining Sea" present a warmer, more emotional side to her music, My Pet Fish's prevailing tone is brooding, edgy, and slightly detached — which makes perfect sense, since ex-Wire genius Colin Newman collaborated with Spigel on most of the tracks and produced the album. Drum'n'bass-inspired instrumentals add to the album's robotic cool, and while several of the songs run a little too long, My Pet Fish is brimming with creativity. Most importantly, it presents a compelling voice that expertly walks the line between pretty and ugly, unafraid to create a sound that doesn't allow fence-sitting.