Zero 7 - Record

Posted by Ben Gomori at 07/07/2010 00:00:00

This Best Of is a timely reminder as to what a surprisingly diverse output English duo Zero 7 have put out over the years since stunning us with their 2001 debut Simple Things. There’s the unparalleled beauty and class of the debut’s highlights – the mesmerising Bacharach-esque Polaris, the over-compiled but still stunning Distractions and Destiny, and the wistful folktronica of Futures with the incomparable Jose Gonzales – a track I missed out on first time round. But alongside all this mellowness, there’s also the more uptempo, lively sounds of tracks from their most recent album Yeah Ghost such as Everything Up (Zizou), Swing and Mr McGee. As we told you when we checked out their live show, they have the power to make you dance as much as they do to make you recline and relax.

The remix disc is a real treat, revealing some of the duo’s favourite producer’s in the process. Madlib’s jazzy broken beat rub of Distractions is classy and hazy, Zizou gets molested multiple times (Mock & Toof’s glistening proto-house euphoria, Joker & Ginz go in hard with their razor-toother dubstepper, Gold Panda’s heavenly warmth and dEbruit’s typically synthy wig-out), and Julio Bashmore pumps Ghost Symbol up in a chunky Dirtybird style subbed-out way. Carl Craig’s remix of Futures is utterly mesmerising, another classic bit of brooding melodic epic techno, and Photek’s stompy, weighty deeper tech rework of Destiny. The disc also features a Zero 7 rarity, Lo, which is a sublime bit of woozy downtempo gold in a Kruder & Dorfmeister sort of style.

It would be hard to find anyone who didn’t dig at least some of one of these two lovely discs, making it a great little collection and a perfect introduction for any latecomers.

Tracklisting:

 Disc 1

  1. Futures
  2. I Have Seen
  3. You're My Flame
  4. Destiny
  5. Throw It All Away
  6. Polaris
  7. Everything Up [Zizou]
  8. Home
  9. Mr Mcgee
  10. Swing
  11. Somersault
  12. In The Waiting Line
  13. The Pageant Of The Bizarre
  14. Salt Water Sound
  15. Distractions
  16. End Theme 

 Disc 2

  1. Madlib's YNQ Mix (Distractions)
  2. Stereolab Remix (Home)
  3. KLING Edit (Lo)
  4. Dabrye Remix (You're My Flame)
  5. Pepe Bradock WTF HPPND Remix (Today)
  6. Mock N' Toof Remix (Everything Up [Zizou])
  7. Gold Panda Remix (Everything Up [Zizou
  8. Kwes./[O=O]. Faltering Requipwork (Destiny)
  9. Metronomy Remix (Futures)
  10. Joker & Ginz Remix (Everything Up [Zizou])
  11. Débruit Remix (Everything Up [Zizou])
  12. Julio Bashmore Remix (Ghost Symbol)
  13. Carl Craig Remix (Futures)
  14. Photek Remix (Destiny)
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