music

With the release of Blank Project, her first solo album in 16 years, Neneh Cherry is back on the scene with a bold and contemporary electronic sound. Her rich and soulful voice is now underpinned by live drums and synths of RocketNumberNine, with production from Four Tet.

The daughter of legendary jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, Neneh first rose to public attention in the mid-‘80s singing with experimental jazzers Rip Rig + Panic. Later followed the singles “Buffalo Stance,” “Manchild, “7 Seconds” (with Youssou N’Dour) and the hit album Raw Like Sushi. Blank Project confirms Neneh has lost none of her talent for pushing musical boundaries, with achingly beautiful songs such as “Spit Three Times” and “Dossier.”

She was last on stage here at Sónar in 2014, where she won over the crowd with a mesmerizing performance. And yes, she does still play “Buffalo Stance,” but a radically stripped-down version that is just as captivating as the original.