A heady fusion of neo-soul, rapping, poetry, comedy and attitude, the Floacist is a regular at the laid back Hideaway jazz club in Streatham. In a diverse, two-part set, Natalie ‘Floacist’ Stewart and her talented band intersperse short tributes to Soul II Soul, a beautiful rendition of Bob Marley's Redemption Song and other classics, with more experimental music, that still seems to draw on familiar melodies. As a local girl, Stewart attracts friends and family to her Hideaway gigs and they form an impressive choir, as she implores the audience to join in with the better known numbers. You'll find your fellow punters on their feet swaying along to the music, while sometimes swapping banter with Stewart. Switching effortlessly between London, street and Jamaican accents, Stewart likes to deliver homilies on positive thinking and self-belief during the gaps between the tracks. Although the interval is a tad too long and the set a tad too short, this is a gig that emanates energy and warm hopeful vibes. 8/10
