Ear Candy: Hollie Cook

Though Hollie Cook’s debut solo album came out last summer in the UK, it’s been largely ignored stateside. But if you can get over the inconvenient truth that it’s a contemporary reggae record—a true minefield of muddy clichés and overproduced pablum that usually tends to create its own very un-natty dread—and simply give it a listen, it’ll most likely become your soundtrack to this summer. Cook, the daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Steve Cook, calls her sound “tropical pop,” and that’s about right: More specifically, it’s a modern incarnation of the sub-genre of reggae known as lover’s rock—lilting, melody-centric tunes that are easy on the ear and the spirit—produced by some of the most reknowned knob-twisters of the genre, including the legendary Dennis Bovell. It’s light music with a pedigree heavy enough for the Stone Roses to pick her to open up for them on their reunion tour this summer. Of the off chance you don’t feel like living out the whole Madchester revival, though, you can just download the thing already. (holliecook.com)