In all you see a woman...

Holy shit! I don't normally do this kind of snap decision blogging, I usually like to let an album sink in first before I write something about it, but after hearing Kathy Diamond's debut, Miss Diamond To You for the first time yesterday, I know, I just know that this is destined to be one of my favourite albums of 2007.

The whole album feels like it was made just for me, in that it takes everything that I like about disco, soul, electronic music and what have you and distils it into a heady, hour-long funk brew that's sexy, multi-textured and deeper than the Marianas Trench. Produced by Maurice Fulton, it may be the best thing he's ever turned his hand to. There was a fair amount of anticipation of this release in certain areas of the underground dance music world, after the two 12"s that Diamond has put out on Permanent Vacation - last year's superb 'All Woman' and the recent funk bomb that is 'Over' - and Diamond and Fulton don't disappoint. On the contrary, with Miss Diamond To You, they've completely surpassed my own expectations and then some.

Opening with 'Between The Lines' - a track that's not unlike Grace Jones' 'Nipple To The Bottle' slowed down and filtered through a thick haze of marijuana smoke - before hitting an early highlight with the aforementioned 'All Woman', Miss Diamond To You sets out its distinctive template on the first couple of tracks. This is top-notch disco-soul with enough of its own idiosyncracies to distinguish itself from other music of its ilk. Every track hits and kicks like a mule and I guarantee that anyone with a pulse who likes their music with a groove is going to find something to like here and most of them will not be able to listen without screwing their face up and grinning from ear-to-ear. Sound Of Silver has some competition for album of the year. You haven't heard the last from me on this one.

Kathy Diamond - The Moment (mp3)