Holly Miranda/ The Magician’s Private Library

Holly Miranda
The Magician's Private Library
(XL Recordings)

We know what you're thinking. Thank Christ! A really hyped female solo artist! It's been nearly 52 seconds since I heard one of those, I was almost starting to worry...
In a time when the music industry is so female dominated that it's almost become a kind of bizarre, reverse sexism, it's easy to dismiss any newcomers as mere bandwagon jumpers. But, try as we may to resist, Holly Miranda's darkly textured musings have clawed their way into our consciousness for good.
Her début, The Magician's Private Library, lands somewhere between CocoRosie's innovative quirks and the brooding ambience of Land of Talk, it's shimmering layers combining with a voice that can be tentatively described as Acceptable Dido (This is a good thing. Trust us).
It probably doesn't hurt that the album was recorded with production God Dave Sitek, or that it also features guest appearances from fellow TV On The Radio genii, Kyp Malone and Jaleel Bunton - indeed, the stamp of her mentors is subtly laced all over the record.
Yet with tracks as intricate and genuinely diverse as the darkly effervescent 'Joints' or brass-led 'Sweet Dreams', Miss Miranda is clearly a force to be reckoned with on her own merit. Occasionally, proceedings veer towards the twee in slightly vacuous fashion ('Everytime I Go To Sleep'), but, for the most part, The Magician's Private Library should easily distinguish Holly Miranda from the masses.