Original riot grrrl and all-round undisputed alternative icon Miss Poly Styrene returns from her self-imposed slumber this issue with a record that really marks her out as a modern musical force. Her first new material in approximately three decades (bar her flirtation with new-age soul in 2004 that yielded Flower Aeroplane of course) Generation Indigo is a worldly-sounding clash of sounds that harks back to her X-Ray Spex days, while keeping its focus firmly locked on the future.
Produced by Youth, the record is an ambitious and inventive piece of work that calls to mind a similar “comeback” album that was released in ‘99: Joe Strummer’s Rock Art And The X-Ray Style. Much like the late, great Clash singer’s effort, Poly’s slab of wax is assured, quirky and cocky and showcases an artist who has become comfortable in her own skin. The snotty ‘I Luv Ur Sneakers’ is a good example of this mindset, as it features some X-Ray Spex-esque saxophone squawks married with a modern electro feel. Other songs like the reggae-infused rock steady of the title track and the pure pop suss of ‘L.U.V.’ help paint a picture of where she is in her life right now.
While the hypnotic stylings of ‘Electric Blue Monsoon’ and the mediocre ‘Ghoulish’ slightly mar the overall impact of Generation Indigo, there’s no denying that this is one of the biggest returns to form we’ve heard in quite some time. Welcome back, Poly.