Baxter – Baxter

• Baxter . Baxter (no pass)
• 1998 . Sweden
• trip-hop.downtempo.d’n'b.dark
• “Sweden’s Baxter emerged at a time when female-fronted trip-hop groups had conquered the electronic world, but Baxter’s eponymous debut tries to stand out from the pack with some drum ‘n’ bass rhythms. Nina Ramsby’s vocals have a cool, affectless quality that work wonderfully on the moody “Television” or the mournful and string-laden “I Can’t See Why.” The deep, thrumming bass on “Love Again” takes a page from _Mezzanine_-era Massive Attack, and “Ballad of Behaviour” has a tinge of romanticism. “So Much I’ve Heard” throws a slight curveball, introducing a discordant horn and vocals that are spoken rather than sung. But overall the tracks seem to all be of a piece, without the diversity or excitement that makes a group like Lamb rise above the fray.” scoundrel