91Èȱ¬

But here's the thing...it's just LOVELY.

All the bits which shouldn't work are actually the best bits. The chipmunk-ed vocal refrain, despite conjuring up the spirit of Savage Garden in its wake, is wonderfully, eye-pricklingly pretty, especially set against a haunted, deep sea diver musical panorama, and those little guitar twiddles come at exactly the right moment, and leave almost as soon as they arrive. Job done.

Any rap narrative delivered against a backdrop like this would probably still be pretty amazing - although some of the more boorish, bragging, sexy ones might seem a little bizarre. But Ironik's caring verses, careful words of warning and generosity of spirit cut through as extra special.

He genuinely sounds terrified of some dreadful event coming between him and his sister, especially before she is ready to face the world alone, in the way that we all must, sooner or later. To make matters worse, he seems to feel it's inevitable that something WILL happen, that he won't be around at some point, and that's just devastating.

So, for all that this uses gimmicky tricks, they've only been brought in to serve the song better, which they do, brilliantly. Which can only mean there is a totally astonishing song which mixes the Vengaboys with Manowar and B*Witched in the pipeline RIGHT NOW, and frankly I can't wait...

Oh, and for the record, 'Viva Forever' by the Spice Girls? Brilliantly brilliantly brilliant song. It just is. Still not convinced by Alvin & the Chipmunks though...

Download: Out now
CD Released: June 30th

(Fraser McAlpine)