The wave of lockdown albums has been continued in spring 2021 with English group Morcheeba, one of the pioneers of the English trip hop scene that ruled that charts during the 90s. A duo since Paul Godfrey's departure in 2014, the combo of Ross Godfrey (production) and Skye Edwards (vocals), freed from their touring schedule, took their time to meticulously fine-tune this tenth studio album.
We find almost all of the group's hallmarks on this record: downtempo beats, a soulful vibe, rock guitars that don't intrude too much (the single "Sounds Of Blue"—pure 90s trip hop—or the instrumental "Sulphur Soul" with its heavy drums) but instead escape into the orchestration of the songs.
Morcheeba - Sounds Of Blue (Official Music Video)
MorcheebaAn example of these hallmarks are the Californian guitars of "Oh Oh Yeah", accompanied by steamy vocals, or Skye Edwards' chorus on "Killed Our Love" which conjures up the languid atmosphere of a deserted beach. It's as if lockdown has provoked a desire for wide open spaces in the duo, American in nature perhaps, with these little folk/country moments as on "Falling Skies" where the vocals are drenched in reverb. A record of true elegance.