Bachelorette

Exploring the kinship shared between humans and the machines we manufacture, Annabel Alpers has dedicated her entire new Bachelorette record to electronic sounds. The New Zealand native is primarily a purveyor of space pop, although there are occasions, such as the robot country clip of "Instructions for Insomniacs," where she sets her gadgets loose upon other musical styles. If there's coldness to My Electric Family it has less to do with the fact that the primary sounds are conjured from synths and computers. In fact, the record features more human collaborators than her previous DIY efforts. No, the alienation is wrought from Alpers' intimations towards mainstream pop, such as "Mindwarp," whose wah-wah and cheery '80s arrangement seem best-suited for a car commercial. There are tender moments though, such as unlikely ballad "Mercurial Man," which help instil My Electric Family with a life-like pulse.