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Directed by the award winning Andreas Horvath on a wet and windy night in London. Many thanks to Hugh for the location.

(The Scene: Ex-Black Box Recorder singer Sarah Nixey is a headmistress sitting behind her desk in her office. There is a knock on the door.)

Ms Nixey: "Ah, yes, Moses, do come in."

(Stuart Moses, Hard Wired’s Goth reviewer enters. Takes a seat. Ms Nixey takes a few moments to study the papers in front of her.)

Ms Nixey: "So what is this I hear about you reviewing my new single for popular review site Hard Wired? According to this review you are planning to say that 'Strangelove' is more of the same, with my stern, yet sexy, almost spoken vocals sitting on top of the faux-glam synth backing not unlike that adopted by Goldfrapp. You've written here that the single contains chanted 'hey heys' but that we are a world away from Suzi Quatro? I also read that you intend to say that I make simple pop platitudes such as 'I'm gonna stir it around' and 'Turn it upside down' sound threatening, yet strangely enticing?"

(Stuart nods slowly)

Ms Nixey: "And am I right in saying that you intend to describe me as the Goth Rachel Stevens?"

(Stuart looks at the floor in embarrassment.)

Ms Nixey: "And what is this that I read you have to say about the first of the three b-sides 'The Collector meets Comma?'"

(Stuart mumbles indistinctly)

Ms Nixey: "Do you intend to say that this is the most mainstream mix of the three? Are you planning to say the atmosphere reminds you of author John Fowles' book of the same title? Do you also ruminate that this song is unusual because I am usually in control, yet in this song I appear to be the victim, or at best a third party narrator?"

(Stuart nods)

Ms Nixey: "And is it your intention to describe 'The Collector Meets Infantjoy' as sounding like David Sylvian's solo work? That you prefer my vocals to be less stretched and tampered with, but the exquisite new synthesizer part makes up for it, recalling as it does some of The The's quieter moments?"

(Stuart nods)

Ms Nixey: "And will you say that the pace picks up for 'The Collector meets Pete Davis' which is perhaps the most radical reinvention? That you are least keen on this remix, despite the fact that at last night’s school disco this was what got most pupils on the dancefloor?”

(Stuart nods mournfully)

Ms Nixey: "Frankly I am displeased by your ill thought out criticisms. I am extremely disappointed by your arrogant belief that anyone cares what you think about music. As a punishment you must listen to the next Westlife single 100 times and write me an essay detailing why Shayne Ward is the future of pop music."

(Stuart clutches his head in his hands and screams) Stuart: "Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!"

by Stuart Moses at hard-wired

"Catchy Electropop"

Sarah Nixey's latest single is a sparkling electro-pop stunner with robotic beats and sassy cute backing vocals, which Nixey's own voice takes a seductive smoothness not too far from Alison Goldfrapp. The former Black Box Recorder singer has certainly created a single with enough kooky attitude to make something of herself, shimmering synths shake your hips in this retro frisson of excitement.

The remixes of first solo single 'The Collector' show a stark contrast, with the Comma Mix showing Nixey's beautifully precise vocals starting out with the richness of an early Madonna and progressing into an intricate, delicate Alice In Wonderland maze of piano and whimsical vocals. There are also a couple of techno remixes, but they only serve to tempt you to track down the original single or forthcoming album.

10/13

by Jo Vallance at roomthirteen

Sarah Nixey will be known to many as the icy voiced frontwoman of Black Box Recorder, whose sweet pop tones lent an additional chill to the dark and often sordid lyrical content. In her new manifestation as… um… herself, she takes that pop sensibility and runs with it, while maintaining a cynically wise attitude which means that this synth-beat tune, despite the disco floor friendly pumping of bass and bleeps, is a thoroughly adult offering.

Focusing on the beats of rhythmic computer effects and a clicking drum machine which somehow manages to sound sarcastic and knowing, the instrumental side of things is kept fairly minimal. This means the burden of the melody falls mainly on Nixey’s voice – and she’s more than able to carry it. Her vocal delivery shifts from cool school prefect to mature confidence, with the occasional shift into seductive pop slickness just to prove that she could play that game, if she wanted. Instead, however, of fighting for a piece of that easy-to-replicate-market, Nixey’s seeking out her own niche among those who appreciate a good pop tune but who want a bit of knowing intelligence and personality to go with it.

Judging by the strength of this smart take on the ins and outs of true-to-life romance, it’ll be the bad taste of the nation rather than her own capabilities that’ll be to blame if she doesn’t succeed.

7/10

by holliy at Drowned in Sound

Once the lead singer of the English pop/indie group, Black Box Recorder, Sarah Nixey has separated to move into poppier climbs on this disco-friendly electro-pop track, which combines the new romanticism of the early eighties synthpop era with the more contemporary crispness of… say, Goldfrapp.
Strangelove is slickly a produced effort, but not one that particularly distinguishes itself from the genre it represents, offering only a very slightly leftfield slant to what you might find in the lower reaches of the pop charts these days.

Bonus tracks come by the way of three remixes of The Collector, displaying a far more enticing and hypnotic side to Nixey, with estranged piano tones wandering around her elegant whispers and more satisfying arrangements. The entire package grows on you impressively after a while.

7.5/10

from barcode magazine