Pop snobs have good reason to be suspicious of Aaliyah - not only was she a child star who released her debut album at 14, she wears fewer clothes than Geri Halliwell and looks set to become a Hollywood movie star. Against that backdrop, it has to be said that her music is about a hundred times better than you might expect. Much of the credit is surely due to Timbaland, Missy Elliott's producer, who has lent his not inconsiderable skill to this efficient blend of funky pop and edgy dance rhythms. If we have to have glossy pop stars like these, Aaliyah deserves the gig a lot more than most.
