Grimes

Dancing the line between hypnotic and irritating, ultrasonic Grimes vocalist Claire Boucher certainly adds a little oomph to a saturated genre. With all of the trimmings of a run-of-the-mill hipster princess perched behind a Casio, she hoists the holy grail of any musician: sincerity. The squeaky singer machine-guns through all of the soundalikes with a subtle happiness she refuses to mute even when passion is the scarlet letter. In the video for “Vanessa,” the lead single off her latest record,Visions, she flails about freely, unfazed by the goofiness exuded by her pencil-thin frame and unhinged limbs. Listen close to Boucher’s seemingly self-serious crooning. There’s a real person behind those synth jams.

Updated 02/28/2012