Album Description: 2001 debut full length for dance act described as, 'the British Air', the follow-up to two limited, critically acclaimed EPs. Highlights include the awesome African influenced instrumental passage 'Likufanele', the velvety 'I Have Seen' feat. Mozez & the quiet storm of 'Destiny' feat. Sia. Quango.
Amazon.com: Zero 7's ability to conjure beautiful lullabies with all the romance of 1960s French pop (as found on their debut LP, Simple Things) would have made them the toast of soundtrack composers and chill-out connoisseurs the world over. Unfortunately, two Frenchmen beat Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker to the title of "masters of comedown cool," leaving the London duo to be forever called "the British Air." And this is fair; the similarities between Zero 7's lush cinematic soundscapes and those of Air's Moon Safari and the Virgin Suicides score are so strong as to sound almost intentional. Nonetheless, their debut is a truly gorgeous album. It has all the tried and tested atmospheric tricks--bleeps and whooshes layered over plodding Fender Rhodes chords, swathes of strings and tender trumpet parps--but it's Binns and Hardaker's languid grooves and the soft melancholy of their melodies that make dream-state instrumentals "Give It Away" and "Polaris" utterly enchanting. The real power of Simple Things, however, is in its songs. As beautiful as the ambient strains are, when laid beneath the seductive vocals of Australian diva Sia on the ethereal "Destiny" or the heart-breaking "Distractions," their potency becomes apparent. --Dan Gennoe
I have never recieved this item from Amazon, and REALLY WANT IT I have never received this item, have tracked it and the post office tracking merely says 'in transit' - but it has been weeks. I have been unable to find any customer service appropriate to this question within Amazon or the Post Office. I am an unhappy customer who is not likely to order from Amazon again. I am familiar with this music and know that I want it, and disappointed Amazon did not deliver what I paid for!
Love this Album This album is by far one of their best. Hightly recommend it. I must have for Trip hop lovers.
Great CD I've listened to this cd before, I just diddn't own it, now I can listen to it anytime I feel like it... It's great !!! :)
An Odd Association Just getting into Zero 7 (2008) so this review is late coming. Actually, it's not a review. I just tore my hair out trying to figure out why "Destiny" (more specifically the intro) sounded so familiar. After playing the first 16 seconds of the song over about 20 times, it came to me: Michael Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow". First of all that particular Jackson tune is a fair divergence from his standard fare. Secondly, I would consider MJ anything but down tempo. I had "Moscow" on my laptop back in the late 90's when Napster was still a novelty. I don't even know what album it appears on. At any rate, I rather prefer the Zero 7 rendition of the melody if for no other reason but that it doesn't conjure images of Neverland and courtrooms.
AWESOME!!! First hear their music on a clip on HBO for the Sopranos series... had to have the album... then the rest of the pieces on the CD were just as good. Super Great Sleeper CD here....
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