Hear My Cry Sonique Audio CD NEW

In the inner flap of her debut LP, HEAR MY CRY, the imposing-looking Sonique strikes a ferocious pose. She also refers to herself with the oft-overused tag "diva" in the acknowledgments. This posturing could conjure up musical visions ranging anywhere from Mariah to Me'Shell N'Degeo'Cello. In reality, Sonique's music has more in common with sounds pumping from mid-'80s nightclubs of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood variety, while her voice is most reminiscent of that of Jimi Somerville of Bronski Beat fame.

The tinge of cold impersonality in the music is more than made up for by catchy grooves and Sonique's impassioned vocals. The opening track, "It Feels So Good," is marked by the type of hook that bears cross-genre appeal. While a cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' signature "I Put a Spell on You" could seem horrific in this forum, she rekindles the song's inherent sinister sensuality and lays it upon some sweet-spiraling electronic hypnotics. Even the familiar anthemic feel of "Are You Ready" and the straight-R&B battle of the sexes of "Drama" are imbued with her special spark, one that elevates them to a level far above that of standard fare.