With a syrupy-sweet, breathy voice, Kahimi Karie whispers in our ears in a decidedly child-like way. But before we can dismiss her as cloying, she seduces us with hip, happy, delirium-invoking pop music. Of course, her beauty and unabashed sex appeal don't hurt. But don't be fooled: her music is as s

Bright, Bubblicious, Candy, Ethereal, Pop, Smarty arty pop

While no doubt enjoying a certain Japanese sensibility -- after all, that accent broadcasts their linguistic and cultural heritage -- Cibo Matto fancy themselves downtown New Yorkers. And it's true that the duo, composed of Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda, employ a minimum of the usual Japanese pop tropes

Bubblicious, Eclectic, Playful, Pop, Quirky, Smart, Smarty arty pop

With an oddly prodigious appetite, Pizzicato Five consumes musical genres: dance, trance, jungle, James Bond soundtrack, bossa nova, lounge, pop, musique concrete, classical. Since 1985, P5 has seen various members come and go. It now exists as the condensed duo of singer Maki Nomiya and composer/mix

Bright, Citational, Clean, Eclectic, Polychromatic, Pop, Smart, Smarty arty pop

With lyrics that range from musings on the Eiffel Tower to thoughts on the nature of space, The Pixies clearly transcend the categories of pop, punk, and rock 'n' roll. Their songs, which vacillate between light, almost airy pop tunes and grinding, sci-fi punk, might as well have come from another pl

Absurd, Alternative rock, Intense, Pop, Post-punk, Slangy, Smarty arty pop, Visceral