(Morcheeba: “Big Calm”, “Best of…”)
#1 It took quite a time for Ross Godfrey, 21, Paul Godfrey, 26, and Skye Edwards, 25, to sign their first record contract. After that everything was easier. The number of Morcheeba fans has increased with geometrical progression. These facts bring grater joy if these things are made known:
– The Godfrey brothers write their music with guitar or piano
– The albums they have produced so far are created for “soul”, not for “profit”
– Their fight against the commercialism is in large degree Gandyan, above all creative.
On the first encounter with Morcheeba, you will ask yourselves “What’s this?”. Not “Who is this?”. The fact that in the Music by Morcheeba we will find rock and blues and hip-hop, and rap and reggae and classic can explain this. And all that “packed” in an ambient characteristic of Pink Floyd. Finally, after a short time, all that sounds like Morcheeba.
Skillfully and with (the indispensable) creative bravery Morcheeba builds its world. Its foundations appear perhaps unstable and undefined, but only at first sight; this is not an eclectic music. On a contrary, a strong impression can be received that every note and every voice is profoundly lived through. Skye Edwards is the one that Morcheeba is recognized by; a voice that seems to come from another, transcendental world, full of emotions and sentiment that will leave no one indifferent. Although the darkness is present, it is here just to give contours to that which is bright and powerful.
“The music that we make will heal all our mistakes and lead us/ the music that we hear is always standing near to feed us” sang Morcheeba at its beginning (Moog Island) and thus traced the road for achieving a spiritual traveling in the era of the Internet travels. Singing about love, this band discovers the dark side of the commonality, and vice versa:
“Fear can stop you loving, love can stop your fear/ but it’s not always that clear” (Fear and Love).
Using the power of the refrain to maximum, the messages arrive at their aim. Unmistakably and without hesitation. But softly, like a spring wind in a clear night.
The album “Big Calm” is a big step in every aspect: both musically and lyrically. Freed from the burden of obligatory success, Morcheeba are offering to us new 45 min of emotions and calm. From this album already have appeared few singles (Part Of The Process, Blindfold, Let me See, Shoulder Holster) that gives hope that the creations of the pure thought and of the pure emotion will find their way to the open hearts, in a time of mass-commercialization and doubtful values. A music that I will most probably listen on the 1 of January 2001.
Translated by: Katarina Cipuševa