Forget the rampant labeling of
Zero 7 as the "British
Air," because
Simple Things is a debut album that stands on its own as a chilled, subtle collection of organic songs. There are hints of
Air, but there are equally relevant comparisons that might be made with
Morcheeba,
Rae & Christian,
Nightmares on Wax, and early
Massive Attack. Indeed, after
Morcheeba's overproduced
Fragments of Freedom and
Rae & Christian's sloppy
Sleepwalking,
Simple Things picks up the slack in a rewarding manner.
Simple Things might just be a gentle Cinderella, a kind stepsister to
Massive Attack's dark masterpiece,
Mezzanine. It's rare that a post-
trip-hop album is so interesting and engrossing, but the duo of
Henry Binns and
Sam Hardaker mix a number of musical elements, such as
soul-influenced diva vocals, gurgling and ringing keyboards, and
classical string arrangements, into a relaxing, potent wave of sounds. Though the album starts to meander in its closing tracks, the first 50 minutes are cohesive, vibrant, and calming. Highlights are too numerous to call out, as the duo switches from instrumentals to songs featuring passionate, energized vocals from
Mozez,
Sia Furler, and
Sophie Barker. All three vocalists mingle as perfect matches to the smart arrangements. Twinkling keyboards, barely-there basslines, and acoustic guitars create rolling melodies that never interfere with the task at hand, that of chiseling textured aural atmospheres.
Simple Things is an accomplished slice of soulful genius that rewards frequent spins. ~ Tim DiGravina
