Zero 7- When It Falls (Elektra)
review by Joe del Tufo

Track Listing

1. Warm Sound
2. Home
3. Somersault
4. Over Our Heads
5. Passing By
6. When It Falls
7. The Space Between
8. Look Up
9. In Time
10. Speed Dial No. 2
11. Morning Songs

The bar was set pretty high when Zero 7 released their debut Simple Things in 2001. With their blend of soulful vocals layered over ambient beats, producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker soon found themselves the cherry on top of the trip hop cake. More interesting than Morcheeba, more accessible than Portishead and more organic than Air, Zero 7 arrived fully formed and with seemingly limitless potential.

It took over three years for the followup, When It Falls, to cut wax, and on it Zero 7 have taken the formula introduced on their debut and crafted it into something even more resilient. Using many of the same vocalists employed on Simple Things- Sia Furler, Mozez, Sophie Barker and others- Binns and Hardaker have delivered a work inexplicably consistent, especially when one considers the number and range of vocalists, and the manner in which the tracks are collaged and woven together. Acid jazz and funk mesh with electronica and AOR pop to create a seamless tapestry of sound that is as soothing as it is intriguing. Critics who decry “more of the same” are missing the bigger picture, and focusing on this as a collection of songs instead of a soundtrack to some fictional dreamscape.

When It Falls opens with the appropriately titled Warm Sound, anchored by the lush Richie Havens meets SoCal soul vocals of Mozez. It’s a soul track with a twist, anchored by layered Moog and Wurlitzer over a cascading flute- definitely new territory for a soul tune. More importantly it’s instantly catchy, with the repeated “that’s how it feels, yeah” burrowing its way into the listeners subconscious.

Sophie Barker, who arguably was the go-to vocalist on Simple Things, delivers again with her performances on Passing By and In Time. On Passing By, her approach is decidedly down tempo, with mirrored vocals soothing the listener as Barker croons “I’m only passing by.” On In Time, we find Barker listing more towards a mellifluous and enchanting lullaby. It’s a sleepy track by nature, but one that provides enough interesting wrinkles to hold its own.

On Home, vocalist Tina Dico (who did not appear on Simple Things) arrives with a powerful vocal performance on this ambient jazz track. The Chis Botti-esque trumpet solo here is arresting, and quickly catapults the track into one of the finest on the disc. Sia Furler’s haunting vocals step up next, care of the track Somersault. Furler’s jazzy, slightly accented voice and the track sports the disc’s most memorable and catchy chorus- “You put my feet back on the ground- Did you know you brought me around- You were sweet and you were sound- You saved me.” It’s an amazing achievement for a 7 minute track. But regardless of who is singing, all of the tracks here are infused with a vocal warmth that gives the disc a surprising consistency.

If there is any weakness here, it can be found on the somewhat languorous The Pace Between, a track that seems wear out its welcome about three minutes too soon. It is a pleasant enough track, with Dico’s voice drifting over a summery brass and woodwind arrangement, with a great Rhodes solo near the end to boot. But in the end, it ends up being just a little too undifferentiated.

When It Falls manages to be smooth and relaxing without falling into the narcopleptic trap so many other trip hop releases seem prone to. Rarely are releases like these, almost compilations in their construction, as cohesive or compelling as When It Falls. For almost an hour we are treated to a luminous soundtrack that flows and changes directions like a lucid summer dream. Perhaps When It Falls ultimately requires more patience than Zero 7’s debut, but in the end the listener is certainly rewarded with something larger than the sum of its parts. This is certainly one of 2004’s highlights.


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tilt- million dollar wound
mickey simmonds- the seven colours of emptiness
ukz- radiation
pain of salvation - scarsick
icon- icon II, icon live
the pineapple thief- tightly unwound
planet p project- levittown (go out dancing part II)
nosound- lightdark
dengue fever- venus on earth
art of all- morgan
marillion- somewhere else
abigails ghost- selling insincerity
blackfield- blackfield II
damien rice- 9
the who- endless wire
the beach boys- good vibrations
the pineapple thief- little man
the killers- sam's town
tom petty- highway companion
hem- funnel cloud
emm gryner- the summer of high hopes
jeremy enigk- world waits
razorlight- razorlight
gps- window to the soul
iron maiden- a matter of life and death
thom yorke- the eraser
richard butler- richard butler
the flaming lips- at war with the mystics
ray davies- other people's live
david gilmour- on an island
nosound- sol29
jackson browne- running on empty 5.1
neal morse- ?
king crimson- 21st century guide to king crimson
shriekback- cormorant
depeche mode- playing the angel
pallas- the dreams of men
my morning jacket- z
riverside- second life syndrome
roger waters- ca ira
various artists- backs against the wall
riverside- out of myself
sigur ros- takk
killers- hot fuss
queen + paul rodgers- return of the champions
journey- generations
yes- the word is live
emmylou harris- heartaches & highways
van der graaf generator- remaster series
rob dickinson- fresh wine for the horses
annie- anniemal
dredg- catch without arms
foo fighters- in your honor
dream theater- octavarium
belle and sebastian- push barman to open old wounds
the go-betweens- oceans apart
porcupine tree- up the downstair (remaster 2005)
coldplay- x & y
nine inch nails- with teeth
aimee mann- the forgotten arm
van der graaf generator- present
christopher o'riley- hold me to this
glen phillips- winter pays for summer
new order- waiting for the siren's call
ben folds- songs for silverman
john doe- forever hasn't happened yet
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adrian belew- side one
kaki king - legs to make us longer
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for against- echelons
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kathleen edwards- back to me
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the wedding present- take fountain
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arena- pepper's ghost
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rpwl- world through my eyes
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monarch- the grandeur that was rome
spocks beard- octane
the wonder stuff- escape from rubbish island
richard barbieri- things buried
the pineapple thief- 12 stories down
the pineapple thief- 8 days later
the innoncence mission- now the day is over
zero 7- when it falls
pain of salvation- be
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jelly jam- 2
tim bowness- my hotel year
van halen- the best of both worlds
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charlie mars- charlie mars
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hellboys- cha cha with the hellboys review
persona non grata- the fine art of living review
tegan and sara- so jealous review
guadalcanal diary- 2x4 reissue review
voices in the wire- signals in transmission review
roger waters- to kill a child/ leaving beirut review
luna- rendezvous review
jim white- drill a hole in that substrate and tell me what you see review
the drive-by truckers- the dirty south review
the blue nile - high review
lovedrug- pretend you're alive review
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keane- hope and fears review
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kristeen young- x review
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macha- forget tomorrow review
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kevin moore- ghost book review
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the push stars- paint the town review
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all about eve- let me go home review
john young band- live review
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the divine comedy- absent friends review
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jeffrey gaines live review
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starsailor- silence is easy review
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lloyd cole- music in a foreign language review
david sylvian- blemish review
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guy manning- press pack sampler review
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the tangent- the music that died alone review
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charlotte martin- on your shore review
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the damnwells- bastards of the beat review
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antimatter- unreleased 1998 - 2003 review
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the gathering- sleepy buildings review
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courtney love- america's sweetheart review
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nearfest 2003 coverage
neal morse solo photos- metuchen, nj
porcupine tree broadcast
alpha- stargazing review
david sylvian at the tla
emm gryner at the point
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