The late R&B diva was, of course, killed last summer in a plane crash just before she was due to hit the big time. Her last single, largely as a consequence of this, went straight to the top of the charts. Rock The Boat might not do as well for, four singles into the album, most fans have the track by now and, well, this isn't the best record she's done.

That said, it is chilled, sensual and infectious, and despite being slick enough to alert environmentalists, this is commercial R&B nearing its best. Aaliyah shows again that one needn't screech a la Miss Mariah Carey in order to achieve pleasing results.