Absolute: Noisettes. 2009. Their year.

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Shingai Shoniwa is a goddess. She has style (ranging from grungy tutus to geometric dresses), absolutely shreds on bass and batters the mic into submission with her incredible voice. Mrs. Shoniwa is the beating heart behind Noisettes, a band that have long been troubling the mainstream, arriving fully formed with their edgy debut ‘What’s The Time Mr Wolf?’. Like many brilliant ‘indie’ bands, they were confined to anonymity, searching for their crossover hit… and have just found it with their latest single. ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’, featured in a Mazda 2 advert, is currently troubling chart queen Lady GaGa’s (ne Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) ‘Poker Face’ for the coveted number 1 spot.

Noisettes- Don’t Upset The Rhythm (Limited Downloads)

Their connection is more than sharing the chart. Just as Lady GaGa has her own distinct style, Shingai seems to have something about her. It’s a fitting coincidence that her name is translated as ‘Perseverance’ in Shona. I feel that she, and Noisettes, will fight until they are a household name. ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’ is a real triumph, perfectly positioned to shine a light on the three-piece. Their debut album was too dark for the charts, but their new album should be carried on the strength of this single alone. It’s sad that this is what it takes, but I applaud the band, who simply knuckled down and lightened the mood. I’m told the rest of the album is a similar blend of old and new.

The video provides a perfect complement to the song, showcasing their image, an aspect which may help some of the less mainstream songs onto the chart. I really hope (and believe) they wont be ‘the band from the Mazda advert’.

The song itself is perfect. It has a really epic and playful vibe at points- ‘Pure Delight. Kick-Snare-Hat-Right!’. Shingai’s vocals are a highlight, building towards the advert’s baiting point… ‘Go baby go baby GO!’, the chorus we will all remember, but the occasional emptiness of the single is just as important as that section.

The bass provides the most effective moment of the song, the breakdown. Building with the bass drum, she declares that ‘This time I like it’. So do we.

I always have doubts over songs featured in ad campaigns, but Noisettes have crafted a song that sounds as beautiful in that 30 seconds as it does over the full 3 minutes 18 seconds.

‘Wild Young Hearts’, the second album, is out on April 20th.

Noisettes- When You Were Young (Cover) (Link 2)

I was sold on ‘Don’t Give Up’. Then I saw them live two years back, and was impressed by the constructed mayhem of their live performance. This same mentality has been carried across in their live lounge cover of ‘When You Were Young’ by The Killers. Simply brilliant.