Craig David’s new album is catchy and smooth, but lacks the originality to really stand out, says Davina Richards.

Craig David has become a household name, partly thanks to the now infamous impersonation by comedian Avid Merion. Long before this, however, he had established himself as a global superstar and won multiple awards as an artist and songwriter.

He has now returned with the single ‘Hot Stuff’ from his new album ‘Trust Me.’ This song is a funk-infused track, smooth and slick - it guarantees to have fans grooving on the dance floor. The second song is somewhat disappointing with over-repetitive lyrics and little instrumental variation. Similarly, track 3 is fairly predictable and uninteresting.

‘Awkward’ is a welcome change in tone - the slow style and softer sound combined with the soulfully sung lyrics will be perfect for smooging young couples. The sexy, slow vibe continues for most of the album. However, some songs tend to merge into one another after a while. The last track, ‘This is the girl’ is catchy - smooth notes sliced up with gritty bursts of rap make it an edgy and memorable tune. There are certainly some good songs for the dance floor and boudoir alike, but sadly the album lacks the originality to really stand out within its genre.