Ximena Sariñana / Ximena Sarinana

The singer/songwriter and actress Ximena Sariñana has appeared in a number of telenovelas and films, and in 2008, she released her debut, Mediocre, which received two Latin GRAMMY nominations. Her self-titled follow-up — which unlike her first full-length features mostly English lyrics — is an excellent slice of 21st-century pop. Sariñana is clearly influenced by a number of American and British pop artists, and works with a variety of collaborators, including Dave Sitek of TV On the Radio, Tim Armstrong of Rancid, and Matthew Hales, a.k.a. Aqualung. The album kicks off with, “Different,” which bristles with energy, not to mention horns, whistling, and electronic buzzes. It all adds up to a wonderful backdrop for Sariñana’s appealing vocals. The delightfully melodic “Echo Park” cruises along on an electro groove, while the Spanish-language “Tú y Yo” evokes the lush, dreamy sound of the Beach Boys circa 1970. The album closes with “Wrong Miracle,” yet another finely crafted song packed with inventive instrumental elements. The album’s arrangements are extraordinary throughout