Cool Hunting

Zero 7, are back with their third full-length album, The Garden, and the harvest is a varied and bountiful soundscape.

Their latest offering is full of what you have come to expect from these gents: laidback deep-pocket backing tracks, warm analog tones, sweet vocal harmonies, and the guest lead vocals of longtime collaborator Sia Furler. But, lush horn arrangements, Swedish-Argentinean vocalist and guitarist José González, faster tempos, and most notably, a few songs that (dare I say) rock out a little, are brand-new directions for the pair.

The Garden is still recognizably Zero 7, but a more experimental, edgy, grown-up Zero 7. Dabbling in a wider array of stylistic influences, the group has graduated from being easily classifiable as acid jazz, trip-hop, or alt-soul. From the subtle new wave bounce of “You’re My Flame,” to the cinematic orchestral drama of “Your Place”, with echoes of everyone from Air (“Seeing Things”) to Simon and Garfunkel (“Left Behind”), The Garden is full of surprises. Though unexpected and ground-breaking, the well-crafted and musically-rich songs onThe Garden proves these two are musical greenthumbs.

Due out 6 June 2006, preorder from Amazon.

by DJ Scribe