Formerly frontwoman with Mis-teeq, and a graduate of Strictly Come Dancing, Alesha Dixon was described by the oily Bruce Forsyth as a British Beyoncé. But while she unashamedly goes directly for the mainstream hip-pop market, she exudes a spunkier and less contrived aura than Ms Knowles.
‘Let’s Get Excited’ boasts an irresistible thumping groove and ‘Breathe Slow’ makes for perfectly acceptable synth-pop. ‘Cinderella Shoe’ has a brassy ‘60s gleam in its eye, and the atmospheric ‘Chasing Ghosts’ should appeal to Duffy fans, although its lyrics are yet another whinge about the pressures of fame. ‘The Boy Does Nothing’ could be a party paean to John Sergeant. It owes a big debt to Lou Bega and has a mambo feel to challenge the toes. ‘Italians Do It Better’ is too self-consciously girly to do more than grate, but ‘Don’t Ever Let Me Go’ is a melodious ballad with much charm, while ‘Ooh Baby I Like It Like That’ is spectacularly awful sub-Eurovision disco dreck.
With help from the Xenomania crew The Alesha Show is an often breathless melange of swing, roughhouse rhythm and blues, garage-lite, soul and disco-pop. After her debut album was junked by her record company it looked like Dixon might be destined for a tour of job centres, but even if there’s a danger of spreading herself too thinly, with this effort she’s earned the right to dance another day.