Amanda Blank is part of a new wave of genre-hopping female rappers who also traffic in the business of party-starting. The Philly-born emcee is part of a crew that includes some of music's coolest kids. She's collaborated with M.I.A. and Ghostface Killah, is bffs with Santigold, toured with Peaches, and can cite Spank Rock, Diplo and TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek as producers on her first album I Love You . She also does part-time in the notorious performance art band Sweetheart. Here she is backstage before a recent gig at Terminal 5, where she talks about the ghetto-ness of Philly education, dressing up like a Mormon, and being a woman in a man's game.

Amanda Blank’s dirty, sex-charged solo debut is predictable electro-rap brilliance. Tracks from the Spank Rock protégé range from the album’s rapid-fire opener “Make It Take It” (a sonic lovechild of Santigold and Toni Basil) to the bass-heavy “Make-Up,” which dips into trance territory.

Slim Twig, Contempt! (Paper Bag) Meet actor-musician Max Turnbull—better known by his Rip Torn–inspired stage moniker Slim Twig—a pompadour’d Goth-dandy from Toronto. (Think Jack Skellington in 1950s Memphis.) On his debut long-player, Contempt!, Turnbull moves away from his avant-rockabilly roots found on early EPs in favor of more macabre fare, layering Elvis-like vocals over gritty, reverb-heavy samples and found sound. Surprisingly likeable, his track “Patty Ann” even adds hip-hop to the mix, one of many sonic curveballs from the new poster boy for indie-quirk. —Annie Clinton

Santigold’s show last night, at Terminal 5 in New York City, was packed with a sea of fans who had trickled in throughout the evening during both Trouble Andrew and Amanda Blank’s supporting sets prior to Miss Santi taking the stage at 10pm. I trekked uptown solo in a jiffy – with my friend, the lovely Amy Gunther joining me later on -- making sure to catch Trouble Andrew’s performance at 8pm sharp. Trevor Andrew (his real name) is an old friend from my days with Burton Snowboards. (Long story short, I’ve been involved with the snowboarding world for 15 years. No need to get into that right this sec.) So of course arriving promptly was a must. Just in time, phew, and amazing per the usual. Nice one Trev! Amanda Blank was next up. She had on one of the craziest getups I’ve seen in quite some time -- black legging with white Christmas tree lights attached. Sorry I don’t have a photo. Just Google it!