#52 Ladyhawke, "Back Of The Van"

'Cause you set me on, you set me on, you set me on fire

New Zealand singer Ladyhawke, born Pip Brown, has not only been praised so much that it's becoming cliché, it's been written so many times that she's much praised but actually lives up to the hype that even that claim is becoming cliché. It doesn't make it any less true or necessary of stating, though--she released what might just be the best album of the year. "Back Of The Van," a mid-tempo ballad, is a good illustration of what makes her '80's synth-pop sound so special, even in an era where mining the '80's for inspiration has become commonplace. Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar are reference points often used, but Adem did the best job I've seen yet of picking words that sum up what makes Ladyhawke so special: she sounds like a disco romantic. "Back Of The Van"'s gorgeousness sweeps you off your feet and spins you around through a world where the '80's are made modern, immediately relevant, and wistfully, lovingly alive.

Find it on: Ladyhawke