Big Calm - Morcheeba

Ahhh the sound of Morcheeba. Laid back music doesn't get much better than this. According to the band, this album was conceived from the idea that modern life is so hectic and stressful, we all need some time out. This theme runs throughout the entire album and who better to provide the soulful vocals than the aptly named Skye. There are a whole host of sounds that make up this threesomes unique take on the music scene, including the short lived genre of trip-hop used heavily on their debut album, soul inspired lyrics contemplating love, life and death and plenty of wah effects from one talented guitarist. To set the tone of the album, 'THE ...

Having featured high in many of the critics' polls in the alternative music press as contender for album of the year I decided to give 'Big Calm' a try despite knowing very little of Morcheeba. I still know very little about the band, but that doesn't matter as the album is a truly modern classic and deserves all the hype it received. It is the ultimate chillout album- perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a quiet evening in with someone special. The album starts strongly with the sublime mellow grooves of the single 'The Sea' and each track is a sure fire winner that just improves with every listen. 'Part of the Process', ...

This is the second album from Morcheeba and definitely their best, it is an almost perfect aural fantasy, fusing jazz, pop, rock, dance, and classical music into one seamless collection. Although the first album was up beat trip hop it was still oppressive, but here we find them in a positively vibrant mood with jumpy drum beats, soothing string arrangements and Skye’s beautiful voice floating on top. The string arrangements have been turned up and brought to the fore, whereas on Who Can You trust they were used for creating a dark mood. Opener “The sea” is bouncy and upbeat, it has a great soothing string section, a jazz guitar that really ...