This second outing for London-based trio, The Noisettes (which is pronounced like “noise” and not the French for “hazelnut”), mashes motown, jazz, reggae and disco stylings to create a bubbly and accessible release. Recent exposure of the track “Don’t Upset the Rhythm” in a Mazda car advertisement will undoubtedly help this album make a bigger impression on the charts than the group’s previous release, What’s the Time, Mr Wolf? Singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa is certainly one-to-watch in 2009. Her vocals sparkle and spellbind and adapt easily on each track as the album traverses established musical genres. At times, Shoniwa channels the soul of Diana Ross or Dionne Warwick (“24 Hours”), at others she effuses the punk sensibility of Debbie Harry (“Beat of My Heart”). “Don’t Upset the Rhythm” is more individually pacey and recognisably dancefloor-friendly than most of the other tracks on the album but the album still effervesces with energy and—rather than an exercise in “more of the same”—is an intriguing mash-up of musical styles. And where on one or two tracks you feel there may be something wanting, Shoniwa’s charismatic vocals ensure that the track is still a worthwhile listen.

Tracks to download: Don’t Upset the Rhythm, Never Forget You (Also have a listen to The Noisettes recent cover of The Killers’ “When You Were Young” on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.)

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