It’s amazing to think – when you’ve throw this disc in your player of choice, settled back on the divan, kicked off your slippers and proceeded to let the smoky seductive sounds emanating from your speakers swirl and spiral through the mush of your mind – that the strong ballsy vocals wafting in and around your ear-holes derive not from the pipes of some gargantuan bosomed ghetto-mama or soul-sister – but rather from a tiny (and I mean freaking bloody tiny) little white woman from the UK. But therein lies the miracle of Alice Russell: stature of a pygmy/skin of a honky/voice of a goddess. Perhaps better known for her collaborative efforts with Tru Thoughters Quantic (specifically the Soul Orchestra) and TM Juke – she’s just starting to grind out her own inevitable inexorable solo niche in the genres of modern-day funk and nu-soul.

Under the Munka Moon represents her second offering of remixes, covers, collaborations and other assorted odds-and-sods after ‘My Favourite Letters’ – itself a follow-up of sorts to the original and much-lauded ‘Under the Munka Moon’. All three albums were popped out within a generous 24 month period. All three albums are rich compelling journeys through a diverse musical landscape. I mentioned previously her dabbling within two specific genres – but “sheer bloody-minded versatility” is the buzz-phrase to consider when (and if) attempting to label Ms Russell. And yet still it barely seems broad enough to cover the dazzlingly wide variety of tuneage to which she applies her beloved vocals. There’s jazz, downbeat, folk, dub, breakbeat, trip hop – with generous lashings of d’n’b for afters.

Not all tracks proffered are out-and-out winners – a given when an artist paints so broadly and diversely with her palette. Certain colours/hues/sounds will not appeal to certain tastes /likes/sensibilities. Yet whilst some offerings are definitely stronger or preferable stylistically – the strength and credibility of Ms Russell’s vocals remains uniform throughout. No matter what style or method she attempts her voice never seems strained, mismatched or incompatible – the tell-tale sign of an extraordinary talent… But enough with the ass-kissing already. My lips are chapped and bleeding and my tongue tastes vaguely of earth. To borrow from the popular lexicon: “Ist Alice.. Ist Good..” And I’ll leave my cringe-worthy obsequiousness at that.

Highlight of the album for me is definitely Alice’s blistering White Stripe’s cover ‘Seven Nation Army’ (with Nostalgia 77 along for the ride). Bonobo and Bugz in the Attic turn out some credible remix efforts on ‘Mirror Mirror on the Wolf’ and ‘Could Heaven Ever Be Like This’ (by Susumu Yokata) respectively. DJ Vadim does what only DJ Vadim can do with ‘A Fly in the Hand’ and the corking ‘Hurry on Now’ is turned into a quirky reggae-esque number by Boub. Yet no matter who handles the musical reigns – the true (and only) star of this compilation is the diminutive Ms Russell herself… Give it a listen and see what I mean.

Very much worth the checking out of. The album. The back catalogue. The whole. The all. Go do it now and leave me the hell alone.