Don't bother trying to find a unifying style in fashion model Cynthia Basinet's (http://www.cynthisbasinet.com) album, "The Collection." It is exactly what the title suggestions, a compilation of her material. But while overall the songs are beautifully sung, the randomness of the track selection is a tad disorienting.
At first, Basinet introduces herself as a spellbindingly dark and sexually alluring wounded soul a la Fiona Apple in the minor-key "Just," which is one of the most captivating tracks on here. "Just" reaches into alternative territory with the subtle gloom of this song. However, she abruptly shifts tempo and genre with covers of two jazz standards, the melancholy "Someone to Watch Over Me" and the playful "Santa Baby." It's a bit, well, jarring; the transition is such a gigantic leap in tone and style that it makes for a head-scratching experience.
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Nevertheless, Basinet has a lush, gorgeously pretty voice, and the record is a must-buy simply for that alone. On the break-up ballad "Eventually," Basinet's sorrow and longing is palpable; like "Just," the contemporary arrangement suits her vocals better than the older compositions.
The dance tunes, "Yellow Taxi" and "God," don't work as well because the high-NRG beats overwhelm the bittersweet prettiness of Basinet's voice. After hearing her phantom crooning on "Haunted Heart," it's hard to imagine her at a rave.
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