brenda ray: perfume of the soul

This collection of ten very classy sounding Balearic pop songs actually consists of unreleased material from 1989-1991, a fact you'd never have guessed from merely listening to it. Brenda is a UK based singer and producer, and during the 80s frontperson of Brenda and the Beachballs (whose 'Theme From A Tall Dark Stranger' makes a return in a new form here), and the palate of influences does revolve around the best the decade had to offer - Grace Jones, ZTT, Roxanne Shante and early St Etienne are all echoed - plus a touch of the plundering DIY sample spirit (see 'Tequila Sam') that also powered that era. Exquisite listening that doesn't let its sophistication distract from a gentle sense if adventure and charm.