Scribble - Selected Works 1983-86

Back in time and down under we go for more old gold from the Strange Love camp, the same lot who gave us that cracking Kiwi Animals compilation. Scribble was Johanna Pigott's alterna-pop project from the 80s, occupying a halfway state between synthpop, new wave and dreampop, which is i suppose is just another way of talking about pop music of that era without inferring any of the baggage that comes with it. These are relatively oddshaped tracks, but they're also generous and universal in spirit, pop with that 'let's communicate' imperative scrawled right across it. Pigott had another life as a writer of hit records, some of which is retained here alongside some more outre impulses. It would be remiss to talk about any of these songs without taking a good hard look at the cover of Roxy's Mother of Pearl. Full disclosure, that is my favourite Roxy track, and what Pigott does with it, in collaboration with Todd Hunter, is brave and effortless, replacing the suave desperation of the original with an after hours, how-do-we-keep-the-dream-alive lament, spinning and swaying off into the hot smooth night. An obvious highpoint, but also a template for Pigott's wider pop vision - she makes it feel like her own. And of her own compositions, it's Party and Lowdown that most appeal, the former a wallflower cousin to Durutti Column's track of the same name, the latter a blue eyed soul number that unfolds like a tropical island Soft Cell. Just six tracks here, so no filler, and thoughts at what other magic might be hidden out there.