Much has been said of Jesca Hoop's old job as babysitter of Tom Waits' kids. Waits, it's said, became something of a musical mentor to Hoop. But while it's easy to see where she gets her fiery experimentation from, Hoop's sound is more restrained, more instantly gratifying, than that of her former employer. There are shades of folk, of rock and of wild abstractness, but it's all tied together in a surprisingly tight and immediate way.Indeed, with any justice, Hoop's second record will be the one to really propel her into the limelight. That's because Hunting My Dress is a collection of exquisite tracks, haunting and pounding and rhythmic throughout. It dives around dynamically, interspersing quieter lulls with enormous percussive stretches. Hoops vocal wails then wavers, always perfectly fitting the mood. It's an album up there with the best of 2009.There's something enchanting about almost every second of the record. Hypnotic, trance-like and packed with ambience and atmosphere, Hunting My Dress is nothing short of a triumphant achievement for Hoop. If she can follow up with another record of such high quality, seeing her namechecked not just alongside Tom Waits, but next to iconic female artists such as Björk, Tori Amos and Kate Bush, might not be too uncommon an occurrence.

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