Olga Bell's third LP is a far cry from her prior album, Krai, a Russian-language work that explored her connections to, and the music and territories of, her birth country. Here, as hinted at by its title, Tempo, Bell's arty electropop is inspired by the nightclubs. Throbbing beats are balanced by delicate, serpentine vocal lines and arrangements that regularly defy expectation. Though more electronic in nature, a few of the tunes ("Regular," "Stomach It") are reminiscent of David Longstreth's experimental pop outfit Dirty Projectors, whom she joined as keyboardist in 2012. Fans of that band or of labelmate Björk would do well to turn down the lights and give it a spin.
© Marcy Donelson /TiVo
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