Zero 7 - Simple Things

It's a pointless exercise trying to review this album without using the word "mellow" so I'll just get it over with. This is chilled-out, or whatever you want to call it, done with taste, without being too poppy or wallpapery. In fact it could be argued that it's almost too tasteful. The slinky strings, shy little guitar strums, lazy basslines, Rhodes piano licks and little electronic whizzes are all exactly in the right place. Maybe they could have smeared these ultra-slick productions with a bit of dirt once in a while. It's about half mellow R+B style songs, of which the lush and melancholy "Distractions" stands out. The other half is cinematic string-laden instrumentals, while it finishes strongly with the feel-good African chanting of "Likufanele" and a sweeping "End Theme".

April 17, 2004

7 out of 10

see also...

• Air - Moon Safari

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