You can't beat a bit of blue-eyed soul to cheer up the summer, so it's a good time to tap into the world of Ben Westbeech if you haven’t already done so.
Gilles Peterson is a fan, hence the signing to his own Brownswood label, and it's immediately evident why when Westbeech sings. A touch of Jay Kay, perhaps, but he has a slight husk to his voice and sings on this with a hint of a smile. The superb backing funks up the sound, a trait carried through in varying degree to the two remixes - raw, traditional soul (Dap-Kings) and a good, dubby bass (Frost and Wagner).
The final proof comes in the acoustic version, where Westbeech plays around with the melody, yet remains tastefully authentic throughout. Give this guy a listen - he's far more soulful than the cheaper imitations all over the airwaves currently.
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