Album review: Caro Emerald, The Shocking Miss Emerald (Grand Mono/Dramatico)

The danger facing this Dutch diva as she follows up the multi-platinum Deleted Scenes… in a marketplace packed with similarly retro-styled chanteuses is that she’ll sound like a redundant cabaret turn.

What saves TSME is its often-inspired mix of vintage jazz and modern hip hop. Her secret weapon, in this respect, is producer David Schreurs, who rescues Emerald’s second album from turning into one long perfume ad, albeit a charming one.