Alisha’s Attic’s delivered their eponymous debut “Alisha Rules The World” in late 1996 and received both critical acclaim and platinum sales. 30 years later Mercury Records have quietly treated us to an audiophile reissue on 180g vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with little fanfare.
Mercury went all in on Alisha’s Attic, the creative project of sisters Karen and Shellie Poole, daughters of Brian Poole (of The Tremeloes) the duo artfully blurred the lines of indie, alternative and synth pop in a unique and playful style. They were already grabbing the attention of established music industry heavy weights like Mick Jagger and Brian Ferry when they teamed up with production and songwriting legend Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame.
Alisha, an imaginary childhood friend created by the sisters in the form of a horned infant clad in a green dress who, sporting both a halo and a devil’s tail can be found hiding in various places on the cover and inlay. This introverted odyssey takes you on an adventure exploring the outer and inter-dimensional dreamscapes conceived of the vivid imaginations of the Poole sisters, who seem to have the mischievous Alisha on their shoulders at all times to guide them. The fanciful destinations the music visits are indeed inventive escapes from reality.
A common theme throughout is the contemplation of the vast unknown possibilities held in the emerging technological frontier of the internet, and how it will affect human connections in the real world. A dilemma more relevant than ever today, although the outlook here is ultimately optimistic.
Raw vocal energy takes centre stage at all times. Alisha’s Attic are adept at performing, writing and arranging vocal harmonies. Comparisons were drawn to their contemporary Alanis Morissette, when asked Shellie simply explained that they do harmonies and Morissette does not. You could pick any track to exemplify these points, the artists are worlds apart.
The vocals are accompanied by an immaculate production. It’s a futuristic approach that blends electronic and acoustic instrumentation in a perfectly atmospheric symbiosis. You’ll find guitars drenched in effects alongside heavily processed and expertly crafted synthesisers, laced with elements of sound design and foley.
From the opening synth lines of Irresistable U Are (the spelling mistakes in the track names on the original artwork are faithfully preserved) and chant of “Here we are again, the jingle of my ankle chain is the only sound I can hear”, you’ll know you’re about to embark on a fantastical aural journey. It segues into full throttle lift off with Intense, a track strong enough to be a single where “the rocket fuel will last us ‘till we push the boat out”. You’re on a one-way trip to planet Alisha.
The album sprung a string of singles starting with I Am, I Feel, a charming and empowering rebellion song that catches the pop sensibilities of the mid nineties. The title track Alisha Rules The World embodies the whimsical attitude of the duo and their imaginary friend as they visit different environments in the musical landscapes of the track.
Indestructible is regarded as one of the finest tracks on the album, and a 90s pop highlight. It’s a minimalist affair where the sparse mix of a heavy thumping bass line, synth and dry, close vocals make for a goose bumps moment. It was accompanied by a memorable surreal slow motion CGI music video that saw the duo encounter and escape a variety of near death situations.
Air We Breathe was the final single; the album version is a happy go lucky upbeat track that was beautifully reworked into a more thoughtful delicate slow tempo, almost ambient form for the single version which would be a worthy addition to an expanded release. It’s available for exploration on streaming platforms if one wishes to go further down the Alisha’s Attic rabbit hole alongside many of their brilliant, atmospheric and experimental B-sides.
As with all great albums, many of the album tracks are as strong as the singles and there are many stand out moments. Highlights include the inner sanctum of White Room and the dazzling Adore U.
Thankfully this release isn’t something Mercury felt compelled to remaster, a popular but often unnecessary practice. It’s a repress rather than a reissue so it hasn’t been interfered with, this version has been cut straight from the original master tapes. There’s an expected lack of sub bass overall if compared to modern pop releases.
The inlay features some great artwork and design, but if looks like the CD inlay has been printed straight to the LP cover with minimal effort made. These notes would have been done a great service by being blown up to match the larger canvas size an LP has over the CD format, and for legibility. Especially for the eyes that are now 30 years older than the initial release.
Alisha Rules The World is a wonderful time capsule from 1996 that still sounds fresh in 2026. With this vinyl release it’s status has been raised to “Timeless Classic”.
Author: Dan, Kingston Store
