Annie

Norwegian pop extraordinaire Annie Lilia Berge Strand’s blog-darling status means the U.S. release of her debut, Anniemal, is virtually irrelevant; it’s been out in Europe since last fall, so you probably downloaded it already. But that’s okay, since Anniemal revels in the past. Annie, along with producers such as Richard X and Röyksopp’s Torbjrn Brundtland, fuzzily references the past 25 years of dance music. “Greatest Hit” samples Madonna’s first single, “Everybody,” cannily drawing a parallel between Anniemal and the Material Girl’s 1982 debut. Both are classic disco albums because they’re as immediate as they are timeless. If Annie keeps things this fun (and stays off the Kabbalah water), she’ll be fine.