Coppe` - Peppermint

I can't lie and say that I wasn't drawn to the new Coppe' record, Peppermint, because of the collaboration with Plaid (probably my favorite electronic duo). Even though the Plaid alliance covered only three of the sixteen tracks, it was still nice to find the rest of the album was at least enjoyable at times. The Peppermint collaborations do not end with Plaid: Coppe' managed to round up DJ Swamp, Mark B. and DJ Vadim as well. Unavoidably, with it being my first Coppe' experience, it's hard to know where Coppe' begins and the guest collaborator's influence ends. One thing that does remain constant throughout the album is the playful, airy vocals that permeate each track. In addition, whether the album tackles ambient, drum-n-bass or more straightforward electronica beats, flirty wisps of noise float through the background. It's hard to not draw comparisons to Björk. But, it's also easy to say Coppe' sounds nothing like the Icelandic songstress. It is evident that Coppe' takes freely from artists throughout the electronic world. Whether it is the treatment of the vocals, the vocals themselves or just the mid-range-heavy mix of beats and synth, Peppermint loses me often. "Jan & Jeff & Jungle Curry", "Jelly Omelette" and "Miso," with their more driving and focused arrangements, take the cake. Although, with the sparse placement of quality tracks, it's hard to totally immerse yourself into this album. [www.sweetrice.com]