Imagine sitting in a dimly lit bar, late at night, an hour or two before last call. The air is thick with smoke from patrons' cigarettes, the crowd is relaxed, and suddenly, as if in a David Lynch film, a gorgeous femme fatale hits center stage. The lights go down, and as a spotlight of blue or red shines upon her figure, she begins to croon into a vintage microphone.

Portland’s Anomie Belle evokes such an image. Previously, Belle released two albums and two EPs. Her latest song, “Slither,” a collaboration with Ian Pickering of the Sneaker Pimps off of her 2011 EP Machine, brings her music into the noir Lynchian territory of films such as "Blue Velvet." The track opens with an ambient soundscape, which is quickly joined with a minimal but carefully constructed trip-hop beat. As soon as her voice cuts in, the song really begins to shine. Belle’s voice literally slithers around and the surrounding atmosphere. She sings with such soul, it is difficult not to be captivated.

Her voice is a perfect marriage of Beth Gibbons and Amy Winehouse. In fact, Belle nearly manages to convey the pain of emotional desolation on par with the aforementioned musicians. Along with the downtempo structure, her carefully restrained vibrato, and the dreamy backing ambiance, this track is not one to be missed for those familiar with trip hop and minimalism.