Lonely Drifter Karen are back with a resolutely pop album which shatters many preconceived notions of their music. The col ours have morphed: gone is the largely acoustic, piano-led instrumentation. This time, analog electronics, Asiatic arpeggios, sliding bass-synths, sinuous guitar riffs and funky grooves abound, while Tanja Frinta’s voice is wilder and more vibrant than it ever was. With these new shades and brushes, the band have painted an alternate version of their own, unmistakable world: dreamy, poetic, and slightly surreal, overflowing with those lush arrangements and irresistible melodies which have become the band’s trademark. Aside from the birth of this formidable new album, 2011 also saw LDK’s first foray into China, and the use of their music in a growing number of films and commercials.