I must admit that I got this album more out of curiosity than anything else. I knew very little about Princess Superstar except that she was a punked-up hip hopper in the vein of Peaches – angelic looking but with otherwise dirty riffs and lyrics. Someone Fergie dreams of being, I suspect! Otherwise known as Concetta Kirschner, Superstar cut her teeth in New York at just 17 when, armed with a four track, guitar, keyboards, simple sampling and air-tight lyrics, she cut her first demo and sparked a bidding war from companies keen to secure her talent.

Probably her most famous moment in Australia came with the 2002 release of Bad Babysitter, a track detailing every parent’s worst nightmare of shady antics with the boyfriend and threats about monsters from the girl supposed to be looking after their beloved in their absence. But this album reveals a surprising versatility from this bad girl however, swinging freely from funk to hip hop and back again with more than a hint of indie and punk sensibility, reflecting her varying background through the years.

Superstar’s first releases – Strictly Platinum in 1996 and CEO in 1997 – were a mish mash of indie and hip-hop; Last of the Great Composers in 1999 signaled a shift into elctronica and in 2002 she got stuck into the hip-hop again with collaborations with the likes of Kool Keith, Bahamadia and High & Mighty. In 2005, all these influences were mashed into one big phat album My Machine … who knows what could be next? One thing’s for sure – if you like a smorgasbord for the ears, Superstar’s your girl.

This is a treat from the first track Mason vs. Princess Superstar Perfect Exceeder (take a massive club instrumental, mash it up with the luscious vocals from our infamous rapstress Princess Superstar’s Perfect ) to the last, aptly titled The End. It’s fresh, funny and funky – not to mention decidedly dirty in places! Her lyrics are not for faint-hearted or frowsy types, gleefully exploring the seamier side of life and lust – “fuck me on the dancefloor” or “do it like a robot” anyone? Thought not – against beats it’s just perfect for the wee hours of the morning.

Frankly, this album proves Princess Superstar kicks the ass of her peers when it comes to penning a creative, innovative and cheeky tune. While not all of it will be to everyone’s taste, there’s enough shiny moments in here to compensate for the lowlights. A discovery – late, but better than never.