Review: With a pedigree for great covers (see: "Seven Nation Army"), Alice Russell has smashed this cover of Connan Mockasin with James Blake-esque spaciousness and sombre sobriety. Further on she returns to a style that's instantly hers with "Citizens" - jaunty, precision jazz beats that leave heaps of room for Alice's signature emphatics to really smoulder. Finally we hit a jacking D Felic remix of "Breakdown". Featuring absolute soul legend Darondo, we can't wait to hear the original when the album drops later this year. Stunning.
Review: Veteran modern soul, jazz and funk peddlers, Tru Thoughts, have done it again with this new release from their in-house iron-lunged warbler, Alice Russell. Teeming with soul and exploding with passion, "Heartbreaker" sounds like some raw funk act's live cover of a lost Mary J. Blige jam. This results in the tune sounding like both a whiskey-weathered old classic and a shiny modern cut, pretty much the label's raison d'etre. FaltyDL converts it into understated glacial garage, Yakine go for brittle, almost broken, beat soul and there's even an acoustic live version if you just want the meat and potatoes!
