Grimes

Montreal's Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, is, according to her label, influenced by "R&B, industrial, goth, hip-hop and western medieval organum" and references Salem, Mariah Carey, Gang Gang Dance and the Smiths. In reality, she sounds nothing like any of these artists and the genres are mixed in such a way that if she does touch on any of them, then it's so fleeting as to be almost instantly forgotten (we're not even sure what "western medieval organum" is). Grimes's music is best described as weird pop, with recent single Vanessa a good example. Altered Zones has just posted a new mixtape by Boucher, beginning with Fragments of the Future, a gorgeous wash of piano, synth and contorted vocals. On first listen, it's pretty slight – but there's magic in its minimalism. The Guardian, Michael Cragg, 2011