Yael Naim & David Donatien - 'Yael Naim' (Warner) Released 31/03/08

There's nothing quite like an ad execs endorsement to launch a caeer. In Yeal Naim's case we have been listening to her launch that object of desire that is the new MacBook Air, with the advert utilising her song 'New Soul'. Trainspotters, meanwhile, will note Yael Naim cropped up last year on a dainty ditty by Readymade F.C. with the song ' The Only One'.

This eponymous release with David Donatien captures all the feminine charms of a dreamy vocalist who has woven a Brazilian summeriness into her sound - think of the great Astrud Gilberto as well as Bebel Gilberto and the current crop of world artists - Cibelle and Camille. Yael's staying true to her roots - born in France and brought up in Israel and ensconced with Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin recordings, Yael favours singing in the Israeli language with the lion's share of songs in Yiddish as well as French numbers, with the English tongue adopted on the openly poppier moments. The understated production captures the purity and style of one of those eternally sunny vocalists with an international and cross-cultural appeal.

Reminiscences of 'Paris' open the album with a Brazilian lilt like 'The Girl From Ipanema' with Yael singing in an Israeli tongue - comparisons to Welsh language are noted in intonation, as on the yearning 'Levater' and the ethereal 'Yashanti'. 'Shelcha' is backed by Kid With No Eyes dealing with love without a future as 'Lachlom' and the dreamy 'Bakober' take in slow acoustic rhythms that don't so much take you take another world or place, so much as wrap you in Yael's melodic embrace.

 

'Too Long' comes across as a sorry-for-myself-painting-my-toenails number, dreamy and with a balloon's lift, yet 'New Soul' is one of the reasons to love the feel of this album as trombone and tinkly piano romp away with the "...la la lar lar..." lite melody and the cutesy turn of phrase - "I'm a new soul/ I came into this strange world/ hoping I could learn a bit/ about how to give and take...". 'Lonely' maintains the English numbers with a Kate Bush-like aria whose emoticons fail to convince as a chap hides away his heart, whilst 'Far Far' has a felicity of touch that takes you into a child's-eye view of the world. Elsewhere, a class cover of Brtiney's 'Toxic' strips the song with music-box and minimal production allowing Yael's voice to shine on another burnished moment.

 

Crunch-time - Yael Naim, the album, has an eager appeal that palls on repeated listens. Where there's the sunny disposition and charm throughout with Brazilian/jazz/folk/acoustic melodies, why would we have the arrogance to assume that English versions of the songs would be commercially more appropriate. Yet, the finest songs to be found here are arguably those which use the English language. Unfortunately, this time around, this is an album where the part's are greater than the whole.