| Allmusic |
 Listen to any one track on Guyanese-Canadian singer/songwriter Anjulie's self-titled debut, and it appears easy to pigeonhole her, to call her the next artist "X." The only problem with that lazy categorization is that, on song after song, that "artist X" changes. Opening track and single "Boom" conjures up aughts genre-benders like Santigold; the song's a sultry masala of miscellaneous styles, throwing dark bossa nova, Morricone-esque flourishes, Bond themes, acid jazz, and an insanely catchy half-scat hook all into one boiling-over (and madly sexy) musical pot. "Boom" ends in a flash and her audience is cast into the fluttering, deliciously sugary pop soul of Nelly Furtado on the mournful, yet batty-eyed "Rain." Next, on "Some Dumb Girl," Anjulie channels Minnie Riperton at her most slinkily seductive, on a steamy piece of throwback '70s Philly soul-disco pop. And on and on it goes, on an alluring coming out of a record as hints of Laura Nyro, Regina Spektor, Beyoncé, and even Ben Folds sneak into the chilled mix. Anjulie is produced by her songwriting partner Jon Levine, ex-Philosopher Kings, the underappreciated '90s alternative soulsters whose ultra-slick R&B went down like silken chocolate, and the LP's smooth sound certainly echoes that of his old mates. While the record's not without its rough patches, dully derivative moments, and false notes ("Fatal Attraction" gets a bit silly with its tacked-on breathy hook), Anjulie is quite impressive as an opening salvo from a talented musical collagist whose minor flurry of hype is well-warranted....full text |
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| Nytimes |
As Santigold rip-offs go, “Boom,” the debut single by Anjulie, is among the cleverest. Apart from the drums, all the other instruments — the flatulent junkyard brass, the bone-dry Morricone guitars — are obfuscated, floating through haze. On top Anjulie coos coyly about giving in when really she should know better. And the faintly Caribbean chorus — “Boom, sha-la-ka” — echoes a skipping heartbeat, a theme woven into the song’s lyrics. (Last week “Boom” received a 2009 MTV Video Music Award nomination for breakthrough video.)
But unlike Santigold, who occasionally forgets to ground her excursions in song craft, Anjulie isn’t eccentric in the least. Of Guyanese descent by way of Toronto, Anjulie has an unapologetic pop ear, an intuitive gift for melody and a voice that, while not rich or deep, eases into long sighs, syllables melting into each other so that entire lines, or verses, can seem like one long, fluctuating note....full text |
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| Boston |
| This Canadian pop singer’s self-titled debut is a slightly exotic, often lovely slice of whispery pop. And that’s why folks might fall in love with her. Or hate her. Let’s be honest: There isn’t much substance here, but this is music for a breezy summer night as the sun sets and the drinks arrive. While the album, produced by Philosopher King Jon Levine and others, starts off with a bounce (“Boom’’ - still begging for a club remix), it mostly settles into a mid-tempo groove propelled by a mostly organic musical interplay spiced by keyboards, sly horns and soul kissed guitar licks. Anjulie has a distinctive, somewhat thin voice and it takes a few listens to warm up to it. There’s a slight Europop and world feel to both Anjulie’s vocals and songs but there’s nothing radical going on here. The best tracks like “Some Stupid Girl’’ and the melodic “Crazy That Way’’ are simple and sweet (don’t mistake simple for simplistic). There’s plenty of room for growth in Anjulie’s range as a vocalist and writer yet this is sleek, subtle and cool in a time of dire studio overkill. (Out tomorrow) -- KEN CAPOBIANCO...full text |
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