You will know John Newman from his work with Rudimental and the Hackney crew's deployment of his powerful voice on the superb Feel the Love. This debut standalone album shows that Newman is equally adept at turning similarly impressive vocal tricks under his own steam. On a procession of throwback tunes that harken back to the classic soul era he so clearly digs, Newman emotes, smoulders and lets loose with a clatter of soulful yelps and sighs. Both Cheating and Love Me Again are robust, infectious and spry, but there are too many other occasions when Newman simply emulates rather than innovates. For all his fondness of the classic soul trope, there's still a need to do more than just copy what others have done. That voice deserves something stronger to work with and to make it stand out from the pack. johnnewman.co.uk
Download: Cheating, Love Me Again