7/10

Lion Babe certainly made an impact in 2015. After their collaborations with Disclosure and Pharrell Williams right at the start of their mainstream career, many stood up to listen to what this new pair were like. What happened afterwards was a flurry of interesting and diverse productions, all held together by the intoxicating voice of frontwoman Jillian Hervey. Now at the start of a new year, the pair aim to break out the big guns with the release of their suitably titled debut album 'Begin', a record with its fair share of ammo.

Not wasting a single piece of work, 'Begin' includes all their current singles and even some tracks from previous EPs, most notably 'Jump Hi' featuring Childish Gambino. The result is less of intended album and more of a collection of their work to date, which can normally affect the record's flow, but given their eclectic sound you really can't tell the singles from the album tracks. Each song seems to have its own independent journey on this release, giving it a real "chalk and cheese" appeal that makes it an exciting listen to say the least.

While it may not be hit after hit, there is certainly enough here to get your teeth into. The undeniable catchiness of 'Impossible' is a real highlight, while tracks like 'Jungle Lady' and 'Where Do We Go' bring out the best in Hervey's voice, which is after all, the heart of this record.