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Album Details

• Artist: Zero 7
• Album: Simple Things
• Label: Palm Pictures
• Year of Release: 2001
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-03-27

At the tail end of a slow acid jazz year comes one of the best of the bunch. Zero 7 comes to us by way of Britain’s Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns. They have been declared as England’s answer to France’s Air but that comparison does nothing to imply the broad influences that are apparent on Simple Things. After remixing some very prominent bands’ music, Zero 7 went in search of getting the exposure that they thought they deserved. Their style is a downtempo soul groove that remains positively uplifting throughout the entire album. The musicians that they employ on the album are top notch and the vocalists are all soulful and easy to listen to. Simple Things is a lengthy effort for a debut album but when it’s over you are surprised at how fast the time flew. There are instrumentals mixed in with the vocal tracks. They make the album stick together with soul glue that makes the project seem very cohesive and full of energy. Expect to see this band pushing the downtempo boundaries further and further in the future. The album has already been voted as this year’s Mercury PrizeAlbum of the Year. Get into it before everyone else.

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