Van Hunt–On the Jungle Floor (Capitol/EMI)

R&B/SOUL CD: Van Hunt, On the Jungle Floor

Loads of hype surrounding young Van Hunt here, especially after his Grammy nomination in 2005 for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” for his single “Dust”, from his self-titled debut. Could Van Hunt become the next Prince or Jamiroquai? Not likely, but pretty damned close. On the Jungle Floor’s second track, “If I Take You Home,” is a brilliant song that answers the question “What if Prince did write a song with Jamiroquai?” Van Hunt is also capable of emulating Lenny Kravitz, and his reinterpretation of “No Sense of Crime” by Detroit’s The Stooges is a showstopper. —BB