Brotherly may be no more, but its excellent vocalist/keyboardist Anna Stubbs returns with a very good album that picks up from where the band left off and also heads to new horizons. The presence of former co-leader, the highly talented bassist Robin Mullarkey and another longstanding collaborator, drummer Richard Spaven ensures that there is a certain stylistic continuity, but the blend of soul, funk, broken beat, Afro-Latin and electronica that made the previous work so distinctive is given quite a different spin.

Generally speaking, Kinzoogianna has a less layered sound, which means the chords and themes are all the clearer, and that Stubbs’ timbre, alternately warm and dark, makes a sizeable impact. The album’s lead single ‘Night Train’, a strutting mid-tempo piece led by resonant piano, sets the tone nicely and Stubbs and the aforesaid players maintain the quality control on the rest of the material.

Some of the more leisurely numbers, particular ‘Keepsakes’, with its burnished glow of harmonies, are notable, and Stubbs is to be commended for the way she has lent rich melodic content just the right amount of kick without setting off any wild horses.

The use of odd time signatures as well as the overall creativity of the arrangements reflect Stubbs’ roots in jazz, and this album also sees her lay down a strong marker as a keyboard player and producer as well as singer. Her next steps should be interesting.