Disco de Morcheeba: “Big Calm”

Morcheeba is my favorite band, with good reason. Their first album, Who Can You Trust?, enchanted me with bass. Big Calm is very soothing, very smooth and cool. There is not a song that I don't like. My favorite songs on this album are The Sea, Blindfold, Friction and Big Calm. The Sea is very good to listen to in the dark. It's an excellent companion for a cup of tea. It's very soothing. There's something about Skye's voice... Blindfold kind of draws you in and doesn't let you go. It's almost bewitching. Friction shows that Morcheeba doesn't always have to be slow. It lets you groove. Big Calm is a very cool song because it starts out slow and grooving, then it gets loud and grooving, adding reggae/rap qualities. It always gets me moving. Add a guitar and you have the melange of musical styles that is characteristic of this group. I definitely reccommed this group to anyone who likes to groove. Big Calm is more for those who like a little slower, more psychedelic style. If you like a little more bass, go for Who Can You Trust?. At any rate, check Morcheeba out!

After having listed to and liked the slower and probably more sensual first CD "who can you trust" I thought it was time to venture a bit further into the world of Morcheeba and boy am I glad I did. The big calm for me is a far more complex, variant and intricate piece of work than their first effort. It opens with the sea which immediately grabs one's attention with Skye's dreamy, soulful, trippy but oh so chilled voice. The song has to be one of the best on the album. To be dead honest, there is not a substandard "filler" song on the entire album (pay attention other bands, if it ain't good enough, just don't release the damned song) I personally fin it hard to identify with the country route opted for by the band in "part of the process" although yet again, the band's versitility is there for everyone to behold and marvel at. Other songs of particular interest are "shoulder holster", "bullet proof" and a very interesting Brit ragga rap style in the rather vibrant trip hop song "friction". Look also for a remix of one of their older songs "the music that we hear" which makes one wonder why the original was not done this way in the first place. It is full of melodic harmonising voices and guitar work and can only be described as splendid musical glutony. But people, the best track by a long long way is the title track "the big calm" Good lord! The song starts fairly sedately, grabs a very firm hold of you and only lets go some 5 minutes later. What makes that song truely fantastic and indeed gives Morcheeba a unique definitive quality is the richness and complexity of their work. In a song like the big clam, there is guitar work in there by one of the boys that would make a heavy blues guitarist sit right up in admiration. At the same time, there is a guest artist rapping away like there is no tomorrow whilst increasing the intensity of the song with every word.

But that's not all. There is Skye Edwards very soulfully oohing and aahing away in the back ground. I've heard artists try and combine various formats and get it horribly wrong. Morcheeba do it and earn my respect and admiration as a pioneering triphop band! The best thing about this album is that it is fantastic with candlelight, in the complete dark, on a lazy hot summer afternoon or a wet cold winter day. Another sure sign of the album's greatness is that when I put it on, people acros musical the spectrum from a 60 year old jazz lover to a 15 year old hip hop freak ask me what they are listening to because it sounds good to them. Can't wait for the next one!

I've always enjoyed Morcheeba's take on the trip-hop genre that exploded in the mid-90's--they took the heavy beats, sampling and psychedelic sonic texture and added a pop sensibility and stylistic diversity (owing as much to Pink Floyd as it does to hip-hop) that was absent in much of Massive Attack's and Portishead's iconic, avant garde trip-hop. Big Calm remains one of my favorite trip-hop records and is one of the most enduring examples of a record that holds up well both musically and lyrically, and is equally good for active listening as well as setting a mood as background music.

Skye Edwards' vocals make up a large part of the album's trademark ethereal, spacey sound. She deftly handles the tailor-made vocal lines in a style that's at the same time creamy, soaring, dark and sexy, while at the same time idiosyncratic enough to set her apart and make her recognizable amongst the numerous other female trip-hop vocalists. She's also a talented lyricist, working with Paul (I think) Godfrey to provide trippy but accessible lyrics about love, human interaction, and impressionistic scene-painting that's as interesting to listen to as the music.

Not only does Big Calm utilize the characteristic trip-hop elements, it also brings in a melange of other influences, from reggae, funk, blues, country, and classic pop. Each track is a carefully-composed work that's equally focused on groove, hooks, and the use of unique, different instruments to make each song sound different from the others.

Some highlights include "The Sea," a perfect blend of funk, moody lyrics and acoustic textures, the rocking "Blindfold," and the grandiose instrumental, "Bullet Proof." Really, though, the whole album stands up as a cohesive whole made up of interesting, identifiably different parts that flow together like some sort of groovy dream.

Morcheeba never seemed to be able to reproduce the mindset that led to this gem, although they did try--after the unsuccessful turn to disco and shallow lyrics of "Fragments of Freedom," the band attempted a good but not great return to form with

. If you want the classic, here it is. Recommended for fans of both trip-hop and psychedelic rock.

The second c.d. from Morcheeba delivers on the promise shown on their first c.d.It is an excellent c.d. start to finish. The first song glides along beautifully with trip-hop influenced bass and slow rhythm.But Morcheeba are more than just a trip-hop mimic band.The guitar work is excellent by Ross Godfrey and Skye Edwards soothing,rich voice is so perfectly suited to the instrumental soundtrack here.Track 3 'Part Of The Process' comes as an unexpected and pleasant surprise especially as it has a slight country feel to it.Yet it works totally and the overall sound is still unmistakably Morcheeba.It shows that they are now confident enough to explore many influences-blues,country,Indian sitars and a title track of brilliant hip hop. Morcheeba have written 11 excellent tracks that are of such a high standard it will be hard for them to match it on any subsequent releases.I totally reccomend purchasing this c.d.I have played it to many friends and not one person has been dissappointed with it yet.

I can still remember the first time when I listened to Morcheeba's first release, Who Can You Trust, and thought how they could top such a great debut album. They managed it, but not in a way expected.

The Big Calm is really calm. Very calm. As others already wrote about it, the edge of Trust is gone, but instead of that we get something that no other band managed eversince. While Trust was rather "hop", Calm is a trip. A trip you won't easily forget. Not that you have to or should. This is one of the few albums you can listen to a thousand times and still not get bored with it.

From the very first tunes of "The Sea" you'll be captivated. This is the perfect music for a candlelit evening with your friends or even alone. It makes you forget your worries, the world around you, sucks you in and the magic can be done anytime you listen to it. Therein lies the greatness. Also great for nighttime car-rides in the city.

I think this album should be on the shelves of every music lover. It is simply a must. Even if you don't like trip-hop, you'll like this one.