Morcheeba - 2008’s Dive Deep

The electronic underground makes a promising return

This is the second album produced by Morcheeba without Skye Edwards’ jazzy vocals, which was the only reason I started listening to the band. This record is sort of a collection of different singers, with a new vocalist, including a few guys, on almost every track. The beats are still really interesting and worth checking out if you’re into slow trance/trip-hop. The Godfrey’s managed to make this album enjoyable, even though it lacks a bit of substance when compared to the classic Charango. Then again, if it’s Skye’s vocals you’re missing, you might want to check out her solo album, Mind How You Go.

The first couple of songs establish a sense of dark and calm, a lot more tranquil than their previous work. But throughout the album holds up to its expectations of old-school groovy beats. The melodies here prove that this album is slightly better than The Antidote, which was an attempt to reproduce Skye’s style with a new singer. (Not very successful, indeed). There’s a couple more hip-hop songs which display Morcheeba’s mastering of several genres. My favorites on this album are the opener “Enjoy The Ride,” “Gained The World,” “Au Dela,” and the final track, “The Ledge Beyond The Edge.” As the band tries to find a successful replacement for Skye, they continue to make enjoyable music that’s not really being done by many others. Not to mention the fact that they’re still excellent live.

I managed to see the band a couple years ago when The Antidote came out and was not only impressed by Daisy Martey’s voice, but by the Godfrey’s performance and their selection of musicians. I have high expectations for this band and recommend seeing them live if you get the chance.