Frontwoman
Santi White has taken on the face of
Santigold for
Master of My Make-Believe, as depicted in the album's artwork, which finds her portraying all four characters (even the mustached man that sits front and center). John Hill continues to co-write, but with
White gaining pop star status, he takes the back seat, as they enlist the help of A-list producers
Diplo, Switch, Boyz Noise,
Buraka Som Sistema,
TV on the Radio's
Dave Sitek,
Ricky Blaze, and
Q-Tip. Multi-instrumentalist
Greg Kurstin (
Beck,
Flaming Lips) and
the Yeah Yeah Yeahs also make a huge impact on the sound of the record, with
Karen O contributing vocals on the leadoff "Go!" and
Nick Zinner scattering delicious guitar texture across the tracks.
MOMMB is a thickly crafted album that took four years to complete. At surface value, it isn't drastically different than the debut, but it's never predictable. Instead of delivering an album's worth of bangers like "Say Aha," "You'll Find a Way," and "L.E.S. Artistes,"
Santigold expands on downtempo dub and pop ballads like "Shove It" and the commercial crossover hit "Lights Out." Fans of those songs will enjoy the synth reggae fusion of "Pirate in the Water" and the severely catchy hooks of "Disparate Youth." When not dabbling in reggae (like on the
Beastie Boys album cameo "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"),
White -- whose favorite band is appropriately
the Smiths -- continues to be masterful at appropriating sparkling '80s arrangements, as seen in "The Keepers," a slick song that swipes a melody line from "Little Red Corvette" and incorporates a theme once explored by
Talking Heads ("While we sleep, our house is burning down"). Preoccupations with fame and how
Santigold are perceived by critics and peers are still common concerns, explored in the fiery Hollertronix album closers, but even when
White's taunting and teasing, she appears to be in control, and comfortable with her role as a pop artist. This is the kind of album that can fully define her sound, but is still multifaceted and well crafted enough to be exciting. While that's no guarantee that the sophomore outing will be as huge a hit as
Santigold's breakout, at least it's proof positive that
Santi White is settling in for a long ride. ~ Jason Lymangrover