Since guesting on Mark Ronson's 'Stop Me' back in 2007, Daniel Merriweather has never fully escaped from the producer's shadow. His debut album Love & War has shifted an impressive 200,000 copies in the UK, but there's seldom an occasion when the words "Ronson" and "protégé" don't come attached to his name. Still, when your mentor can nab you a collaboration with Grammy winner Adele, you can't really complain, right?

Unsurprisingly, neither party strays too far from his/her comfort zone on 'Water And A Flame'. A smoky, heartfelt ballad timed to capture the festive appetite for another 'Broken Strings', it finds their rich and soulful vocals dovetailing sweetly - enough to draw attention away from the slightly clichéd chorus, in fact. If it's Adele who ultimately steals the show here, well, at least by now Merriweather should be used to playing second fiddle.


> Click here to read our review of Daniel Merriweather's album