ANNA OF THE NORTH Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Been there, done that, got remnants of a t-shirt. Anna of the North has obviously lived. Or at least that's the impression from "Dream Girl", an album that kicks, grooves, lolls and soothes in equal measure. Clearly the product of some very real experiences, and that's just the instrumentals. It's a record that wears everything on sleeve, calling on influences and styles that don't always find themselves centre stage when it comes to matters of the heart. There's more than a hint of hip hop on "Used To Be", the jazz inflections are crystal clear on "Lonely Life", R&B nuances spread across "When R U Coming Home". Themes range from challenges faced after finding real freedom - lack of direction and deep questioning of purpose - to problems that come with co-dependence and communication. Or lack thereof. Whatever relationship inspired this wasn't the simplest, but the things we learn from rarely are.