Zero 7 is a London based duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. Some call them the UK's answer to French band "Air" and they deserve the title. They started to work in London clubs in late 80's and got their break in 1997. They became successful after their debut album "Simple things" released in 2001. got a lot of good reviews. Their second album is called "When it Falls" and was released in march 2004. I decided to buy it after I heard the single "Home" on a local radio station.

The Tracks

The album contains 11 tracks. the opening song is appropriately called "Warm sound". The track features collaboration with male soul vocal Mozez. The track is slow tempo soul beat mixed with electronic keyboard and a dash of flute. The track has a long intro but builds nicely and toward the end feels almost like a pop song.

Second track is "Home" it was also released as a single. It is the best track of the album. Beautiful female vocals of Tina Dico are accompanied by acoustic guitar and slow melodic electronic sounds. Slow, subdued music accentuates the vocals and give a special feeling to this song as it builds toward an impressive orchestral finale.

Following track is "Somersault" with a bit more up tempo rhythm. Female vocal Sia Furler with a slight rasp in her voice adds to the distinct feeling of this song and adds variety to the album.

"Over Our Heads" is another collaboration with Mozez. This is probably the weakest song of the album. It sounds simple, like a lullaby and is a bit boring.

Next song, "Passing By", is a collaboration with yet another female vocal. This time it is Sophie Barker. Her melancholic voice is accompanied by slow and smooth jazz rhythm. The song builds slightly after a slow start and introduces a catchy melody played on the synthesizer.

The title song "When It Falls" is completely instrumental. It is very slow and reminds me of the sound of a French duet "Air" a lot, but this is not a bad thing. Towards the middle, the song builds a bit and starts to sound almost psychedelic.

"The Space Between" is another song featuring beautiful vocals of Tina Dico. This song doesn't match the perfection of "Home" but manages to stay interesting by adding some flute sounds to the slow jazz sounding rhythm. Song's finale is a tribute to all jazz improvisations with a smooth sounding synth.

The next song is a bit of surprise and doesn't feel like the rest of the album. "Look Up" sounds like a orchestrated pop song a bit slowed down to try to fit it to the albums overall sound. Doesn't feel like it belongs here.

Sophie Barker returns on "In Time" which is another smooth jazz song a bit more up tempo than most of the album but still very nice.

Next song is another weak effort as Sia Furler returns on "Speed dial no.2". This song again sounds like a lullaby and a slow repetitive background rhythm doesn't help.

The last track on the album is called "Morning Song". Male soul vocalist Mozez returns to add to this excellent mixture of jazz rhythm, guitar and piano.

Final words

The newest album by Zero 7 is another superb mix of jazz, soul and house music perfect for relaxation and easy listening at home. The second track "Home" is one of the best songs I heard this year and I fell in love with it the moment I heard it. The rest of the album is very good but this song clearly stands out. The songs like "Somersault" and "Morning Song" with a smooth jazz sound and beautiful vocals are excellent. Biggest letdowns are "Over Our Heads" and "Look Up" which feels it doesn't belong on the album.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Going to Sleep