Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

As a member of Nu Colours, Lain enjoyed hits in the '90s but is best remembered for his collaboration with Wookie on "Battle", a big garage hit in 2000. Now Lain has released his debut solo project and thrown his whole soul into it, blending his soul influences with pop sensibilities and even a touch of jazz here and there. His expressive voice and superb song writing make this album a complete delight. It's hard to pick highlights because there's so much here that I love. "What I'm Feeling" has a smooth, jazzy feel built over a piano loop whilst "One More Try" and "Peaceful Waters" simply shows off Lain's acoustic plaintive soulfulness. "Bottle" is a serious bit of social observation pinpointing the tragedy of alcohol abuse, delivered in a voice reminiscent of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come". It proves the point that if you're going to have influence, you may as well pick the best! This is British soul at its very best.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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