Rosey

A former major-label talent scout with a penchant for world music, Los Angeles singer Rosey first surfaced on the Bridget Jones's Diary soundtrack with the hypnotic funk-hop track "Love." Rosey possesses a husky alto that sounds like a cross between Beth Orton and Fiona Apple, but her soulful debut shows no signs of the ethereality of those women, continuing instead with the hybrid of funk, hip-hop, and rock on "Love." Not surprisingly, the best tracks on Dirty Child can't be categorized into specific genres. The beat-driven "Like a Dream" has Eastern-tinged rhythms and seductive bass squiggles; "The Time" addresses female empowerment with lazy, jazzy style and funky sass; "My Baby" is a bluesy torch song that crackles like a vintage 78; and "One" is sharp, steamy trip-hop. The lack of obvious chorus hooks makes individual songs hard to remember, yet, as with Nikka Costa, Rosey's powerful voice and flavorful originality are well worth embracing.