This came out in 2005 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Anne Lilia Bergen-Strand doesn’t sound like the name of a pop star. But Anniemal, the low-key debut from the Norwegian thrush’s alter-ego Annie, sure sounds like one of the most instantly enjoyable and stylishly addictive dance-pop discs I’ve heard this year.
Admittedly, Annie’s thin, high voice isn’t much to write home about — if anything, she makes Kylie seem like Mariah. But instead of treating her limited pipes as a liability, she makes the most of them by accessorizing them with understated post-disco grooves, sugary synths and simple melodies that echo early Madonna, Bananarama, Tom Tom Club and The Human League. And that sounds like a winning formula to me. You too, maybe.
