Dionne Bromfield - Good For The Soul

Those who are unaware as to just how this young lady got a record deal need only hear: Amy Winehouse is her godmother (I know! Her! An authority figure!) She released an album of cover versions of soul standards (Mama Said, Ain't No Mountain High Enough) in 2009, Introducing Dionne Bromfield, that I completely ignored because I'm bored of people covering such tracks (great as they are). Skip two years and she's finally got her own stuff in motion, or rather a team of people's stuff. But those hoping for someone as uniquely spectacular as godmum Amy should probably look elsewhere.

In the age of child stars such as... um... I should probably pay more attention to Britain's Got Talent... and it's unfair to say Justin Bieber or Rebecca Black. But yes, there appears to be a zeitgeist where any kid with a decent set of lungs is immediately heralded as a marvellous talent in lieu of songwriting ability or unique star quality.


Don't get me wrong, she has a lovely voice for a 15 year old. There are moments of genuine maturity and subtle twangs that most adults are unable to pull off - and I guess it's a little bit foolish to expect anything more than this - but I think my frustration with artists of this like is the way they're marketed. "She is known for her unique style of music", her Wikipedia boasts. Yet off the top of my head I'd immediately list off Gabriella Cilmi, the Noisettes, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Beverly Knight, Paloma Faith...

On tracks such as 'Yeah Right' however she establishes a bit of a niche: combining the pop sensibilities of modern music (it features Diggy Simmons, son of Rev Run) it serves multiple hooks (backing vocal hums, easily memorable lyrics) and kicks off the album well. It's on the more upbeat Motown revivals that she flourishes, and the record feels its most fun - 'Sweetest Thing' brings out the brass and an uplifting chorus for as feelgood an anthem as any of her contemporaries or influences. Even the Mark Ronson production qualities trickle into tracks like 'Ouch That Hurt', but given this formula is tried and tested as a successful one, why not? With last year's successes for the likes of Eliza Doolittle, tracks such as 'A Little Love' aren't surprising inclusions - this one is quite easily the strongest and catchiest, and you'd have to be stonefaced not to find it at least nice.

But there are moments where she tries to turn down the mood-lighting: second single 'Foolin'' sounds almost too mature for her age (although given the exploits of most 15 year olds today I'm perhaps exaggerating) and there's a nagging feeling that she's imitating the Winehouse. There are a couple of attempts at other genre pastiches that're a little too shallow - 'Time Will Tell' is a reggae-pop offering that sounds like Paloma's "Upside Down" without the energy. She truly engages the teens on 'Get Over It' ("you're staring at your phone all day waiting for a text to come from a boy that barely knows your name, but you think that he's the one") and it's again difficult to gauge: it's either cute and young or mature and generic.


The final few tracks are capable but could really be cut from the record and noone would notice. 'Don't Make It True' would serve well as a single, though, and has a nice summery vibe to it, and it's a wise decision to end on 'Move A Little Faster' which takes a leaf out of the pages of VV Brown and Janelle Monae for an unstoppable party vibe. Despite all of my earlier complaints I guess I should be thankful that someone with at least one talent is getting a bit of attention (fuck off, J-Lo) but I'd like to hear soul songs from someone who's actually endured a bit of experience first.

Rating: 6/10
Highlights: A Little Love, Don't Make It True, Yeah Right, Sweetest Thing, Move A Little Faster, Ouch That Hurt
Avoid: Too Soon to Call It Love, Get Over It, Foolin', Time Will Tell, In Your Own World

Artwork Watch: It's her. Nothing else to say. Why are you reading this?