A strong voice will get you a decent distance in this game. In the case of young Londoner Isobel Beardshaw, her tones are perfectly turned out for the jazzy, fizzy, occasionally melancholic and often dreamy tunes at her disposal.
There’s a dash of Amy Winehouse and a pinch of Adele there so you can understand what attracted the critics and talent pickers who compiled various sound of 2016 polls. The problem is that the material isn’t quite robust enough to sustain the set-up .
For all the lovely sounds – some sweet gospel and jazz touches on Lost Paradise for instance – and the radio-friendly sweep on White Tiger and Diamond, there's a sense that's something missing. It's as if Beardshaw knows what she should be doing, but isn't quite able to pitch the stronger emotions required to really pack a punch on certain songs.