Philadelphia Weekly

MUSIC

Critic's Pick: Charli XCX

By Elliott Sharp

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Mar. 6, 2012

Go zone out in front of your YouTube for a sec and plug into the video for Philadelphia street bass boss Starkey’s 2011 silky smooth banger “Lost In Space.” Following Starkey’s otherworldly elevation and mega-trill drop, British vocalist Charli XCX coasts in with her blissful and digi-fucked pipes waxing lovely about rocket ships, satellites and galaxy-size heartbreak. The 19-year-old’s debut album is expected this year, and the few tracks leaked so far are all No. 1 stunners. “Valentine” is a doom-drenched love letter sung over Atari waves of electronic sustain and glitch, and “Nuclear Seasons” is pure cloud-disco/synth-pop with an unshakeable hook. In the video for the latter, Charli sometimes looks like a utopian future-princess from Planet VHS, and other times like a dystopian wolf-guarded queen from the lawless Planet Thunderdome. Two characters, but one command: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE OR DIE, DIE, DIE!

Fri., March 9, 9pm. $10. With Bear In Heaven + Niki & the Dove. Voyeur, 1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772. igetrvng.com