Duffy: ‘Stepping Stone’

Confirming once again that she shares more in common with Dusty Springfield than Amy Winehouse, Duffy releases the most melancholy yet catchy pop song since, well, ‘Warwick Avenue’.

Allowing the Welsh lovely’s voice to shine throughout, ‘Stepping Stone’ is a laid-back goodbye to subjugation, the production smartly mirroring the vocals with its soft sprinkles undercut by a brusque strut of a rhythm. “The less you give, the more I want so foolishly,” swoons Duffy, before vowing to live on as a stronger woman. This is female empowerment with no “girl power” shout-outs anywhere. It is, instead, a slice of icy old-school soul, just in time for Autumn.

Released on 1st September 2008 by A&M.

Written by Polis Loizou.