The next line that you read could make a few minds implode, so read it at your own risk:

A singer songwriter type that does dance songs on his acoustic guitar.

You still there? Good. What you’re going to witness is something better than the obligatory grizzled beard, dreary chord changes and the feeling that you’ve heard it all bloomin’ before.

Getting past the generic artist bashing, the Israeli-born Yoav has paid his musical dues. From being bafflingly called “too unique” in the U.S. by one record executive, to being starved from the live bands that many take for granted during his residence in apartheid South Africa, he’s had quite a journey.

His main musical influences read like a “who’s who” in current U.S. hip-hop and European dance, whilst his vocal identity lies with Jeff Buckley. On Beautiful Lie, you can hear the formation of all of these styles with an acoustic pick-fest that sounds like Sash!’s Stay.

Once you see him in the flesh, it all becomes clear. Using loop and delay pedals to make the tapestry of noise, the pure control and ingenuity of the man can’t help but draw smile-lines to your ears.

The pop credentials are strong, as Yoav could easily fool some into thinking he’s Enrique Iglesias or a returning Daniel Bedingfield as the house music anthem easily powers through. Although it would be great to hear it, the purity of this song must be preserved like a 17th Century house.