Margot B’s voice is similar to Janet Jackson’s, although she usually sings much more powerfully than does that queen of the rhythm nation during Two Thousand Mine. She’s at her best on “Candy”, which is a sweet, mid-tempo track that feels like a musical trip through the candy store. It features cooing fa-la-la’s, as well a chorus where the title is spelled out playfully. She may be singing in childlike terminology, by make no mistake about it, Margot B is all woman.
“Space Invader”, speaking of kid’s stuff, uses vintage video game sound effects, a little scratching, and Margot B’s semi-tough vocalizing to make its points. She makes you wonder if she’s a big gamer herself, especially since the CD’s last song is titled “New Game”. But instead of electronic sound effects, this closing track uses a synth groove that nicely replicates ‘80s dance acts, such as New Order, and when she commands, “swing batter, batter,” it’s obvious she’s referring to the outdoor competition we call baseball.
As with most of the inclusions on this ten-song CD, “Space Invader” and “New Game” are dance tracks. But with “Be Your Lady”, Margot B slows down the beats considerably and sings a ballad. This time, she brings Madonna – an underrated balladeer, by the way – to mind. She vows to be her man’s lady because he drives her crazy. Therefore, if she’s going to be nuts, she might as well be institutionalized in his arms, right? Margot B also brings Madonna to mind for an entirely different reason on the inner artwork, as she’s dressed provocatively in a white undergarment.
Although she comes off like a tough talking dance diva, “No Lights” finds her tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She has a soft side, after all, and while dance club music is her sonic of choice, “Jungle Fever” incorporates touches of reggaeton for variety’s sake. But when she announces “Welcome to the jungle,” she can in no way be confused with Axl Rose and his dire warning about Los Angeles city life in the famous Guns ‘N Roses song of the same name. There isn’t much social commentary on Two Thousand Mine because Margot B is solely focused on the social interaction between males and females. And as we all know, there’s an endless supply of lyrical inspiration to be found at that intersection.
For the most part, Margot B is the center of attention throughout this work. However, Wiz Khalfa adds hip-hop spice to “Havoc” and Josh Everette assists with male vocals during “No Lights”. Elsewhere, the singer is backed by busy keyboard and percussion elements, while her lead vocals are mostly backed by her own background singing.
The dance world has a fickle, trendy atmosphere, which makes it hard to know which recordings will be successful, and which ones will fail. But if there’s any justice in the club world, Two Thousand Mine will be a hit. It’s filled with memorable melodies, intelligent lyrics, and enough variety to keep the listener hanging on from track to track. Songs like “Be Your Lady” suggest, perhaps, enough vocal talent to evolve beyond the dance genre. Best of all, this independent release already sounds radio-ready with its sharp production touches.
It would be fascinating to hear what Margot B would sound like on something not quite so dance-centric, such as jazz. Does she have what it takes to be a world class vocalist? One cannot be entirely sure, at least if assessed by the evidence found in threes ten tracks. But for a dance music album at least, Two Thousand Mine is mighty fine. -- Dan MacIntosh
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