Lady Sovereign - Jigsaw

It is easy to think of Lady Sovereign as Eminem’s (or even Mike Skinner’s) younger sister, succeeding where the likes of Ms Dynamite-ee-hee has failed, with not only attempting to be cross-genre but crossing the Atlantic with relative success. Lady Sovereign embodies the annoying, irrepressible younger cousin that you one day hope will grow up, and when they actually do, you find the very thing that you were critical of is what you miss the most. That is not to say, however, that Lady Sovereign has indeed grown up. Perhaps more the in-between stage as Britney once aptly put it ‘not a girl, not yet a woman’(!), though admittedly, Lady S is a bit of a tomboy.

‘Jigsaw’ sees her move away from her previous ‘grime’ sound; the album offers a mixed bag whether this is ambitious or directionless remains to be seen. ‘Let’s Be Mates’ opens the album with its infectious beats and laid back delivery with at times nonsensical lyrics (‘Like colours? I like purple, I’m talkin’ slow like a turtle’) interwoven with other strange ramblings, it perhaps sets a tone, which is somewhat predictable, for the rest of the album.

‘So Human’ samples The Cure remaining relatively inoffensive without really offering anything new (just familiarity) and jaunts along nicely enough. ‘Jigsaw’, despite sounding like a disposable indie track at times, is actually quite insightful in attempting to show us a deeper side to Lady S lyrically. ‘Bang Bang Sound’ and ‘I Got You Dancing’ are definitely tracks that would work well on the dance floor, the latter especially, simplistic and repetitive lyrics aside.

With an amusing intro (‘Yeah fatha-muckaz!’), ‘Pennies’ sees Lady Sovereign have a stab at current affairs, making references to the recession and managing to irritate by this point (though this may be to do with her relentless vocal attacks, 6 tracks in, this can be quite taxing and overbearing). Finishing with ‘I Got the Goods’, it has been an exhausting ride, a pop/rap/dance/indie assault on the senses. If you can keep up, this proves to be a contagious, wholly danceable affair which will no doubt play the rounds on the ol’ music player.

Love her or hate her, Lady Sovereign is here to say.