Album: Theophilus London, Timez Are Weird These Days (Warner Bros)

Brooklyn rapper Theophilus London probably never heard of Lenny Henry's caricature soulman Theophilus P Wildebeest; though he inhabits the super-dude cliches just as naturally.

But it's the backroom staff that drive this, producers such as Santigold's John Hill and TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, who tailor Theophilus with grooves just as sharp as his threads. Hill's techno-funk settings for "Last Name London" and "Love Is Real" have such infectious drive you don't really notice there's not a lot being said. Likewise, Sitek's itchy groove for "Wine and Chocolate", and Jocko's slippery electro beat for "All Around the World" help disguise what are effectively just litanies of food metaphors and global nightlife locations. It's the same throughout, London relying on charm over content. But, in fairness, he makes it more fun than most.

DOWNLOAD THIS: Last Name London; Love Is Real; Wine and Chocolate