2003 Blu Cantrell featuring Sean Paul: Breathe

Another entry in the ever growing urban/R&B canon (this time from Puff Daddy and Faith Evans' former backing singer), 'Breathe' lifts itself above the genre herd via a gallic flavoured, two-step sampled backbeat from Charles Aznavour's 'Parce Que Tu Crois' and Sean Paul barging in with some sunbaked dancehall toasting (Paul doesn't appear on Cantrell's original album version and it's all the more ordinary for it). Together, they add the spice of unpredictability that frees Cantrell's vocal from the rigours of the usual R&B grind and lets her airy "We need to let it breathe" add a layer of whist to a tune that still aims squarely at groin level. Which I guess would be enough to get Charles himself nodding along in approval. Perhaps. But whatever, 'Breathe' deserves more of your time than most genre recordings.