Inna- Hot, Virgin Records
Audio CD: Rs. 295
All of 25, this Romanian dance music singer is taking the world by storm. Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu, better known as Inna, started off singing ballads and soft rock numbers before her musical taste and style changed drastically when she was signed on by producers Play & Win.
Her debut album is a compilation of her numerous hit singles, making this record quite an entertaining listen, especially for the under 30 party goers.
The opener is the title track “Hot” where Inna sets the tone for this album. This is an unadulterated and stylised electro-house number popular as a single across Europe in particular. Hypnotic in rhythm, with a trance flavour, this is one of those songs that get you setting the dance floor on fire. On the downside, there is this niggling hook "Fly like you do it / Like you're high like you do it / Like you fly like do it / Like a woman" that’s repetitive and tiresome at times.
Next up is “10 Minutes” which has a synth/electro-pop texture to it. Released as her fifth single, this song became a YouTube rage when it got leaked on the internet and once you listen to it, you would know why!
Then there’s “Love” and if you’ve ever been in love and got tangled with its umpteen complications, you would identify with this song. A cadenced song with definite electronic dance music and house music quality, the lyrics remind one of how complicated situations of love can become.
“Amazing” is quite amazing in the sense it captures a whirlwind of emotions, musically and otherwise. Maybe the controversy around the track itself led to its popularity as a single. It was supposedly written by Play & Win in early 2009 for Anca Badiu, a Romanian singer, but because they thought Inna would make a better version of the song they had her record it instead!
Following this is “Déjà Vu” which has been sung by Romanian DJ Bob Taylor, featuring Inna. There’s something about those innumerable “La la la’s”!
“On & On” is simple and tuneful, sometimes sounding like a poem with alternate lines rhyming.
“Days Nights” is a rhetoric song where the singer pleads in desperation for her man to return to her.
Little over three and a half minutes long, “Don’t let the music die” is an energy infused track. There’s no way you can dislike it. Inna’s vocal prowess shines through quite well on this number.
'Fever' and 'Ladies' are rather monotonous as we’ve already gotten used to the propelling Euro-dance beats and deft synth chord progressions. “Left Right” follows suit.
Aside the number “Hot”, the album cover with a minimally clad Inna gracing it would definitely evoke that “Hot!” response.
When so many hit singles are put together on one record, there’s no way the outcome can be bad so go ahead and give this album a listen!
