A singer-songwriter from France, Ben L’Oncle Soul surprised many with his eponymous debut album in 2010 – which featured a funky re-imagining of The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army‘ and his (underrated) anthem ‘Soulman‘.

On his latest single ‘Next To You’, L’Oncle Soul offers a formulaic, but nonetheless effective, romantic ballad. Admittedly, the laid-back guitar work and soulful touches are let down by the tinny drum track.

The acoustic version, a sensitive dual-guitar arrangement, is the far superior recording – foregrounding the bewitching intimacy of L’Oncle Soul’s vocals. Listen to both versions below!