Gin: Extended Play (Island/Universal)

The other night we were flicking across the music channels and did that rare thing, paused for more than five seconds because there was a remarkable voice about which I said, "Wow, I'd like to hear more from that one".

"That one" -- as it turned out two days later when a copy of this EP was pressed into my hand -- was this young singer originally from New Zealand but now resident in Australia where she recorded this five track EP in which each song is entirely memorable -- none more so than Hallelujah, a moving tribute to her late father which she wrote in her late teens and which picked up the top prize in the 2004 International Songwriting Competition.

But the song on the television was the rollickingly poppy Under My Skin which is infectious -- proving that here is a singer/writer with considerable breadth if nothing else.

And she has a voice which, once heard, is hard to forget. At its most soulful it sounds like a black soul-blues singer.

But however you hear her -- and the five tracks are different so this EP has a showcase feel to it -- you deserve to hear her.

Sooner rather than later.