THE GARDEN - ZERO 7
The third album from British duo Zero 7 will surprise many. With its 2001 debut, “Simple Things,” and 2004’s “When It Falls,” Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns created a Zero 7 sound, but “The Garden” finds the duo deviating from what came before. The folk and electronic elements are ever-present, but the chilled-out downtempo rhythms are now intertwined with chilled-out uptempo fare as if the duo has remixed itself. While the sonic shift takes some getting used to, the rewards are many. “The Pageant of the Bizarre,” with the sublime vocals of Sia Furler, is one part blues, one part folk, with beautifully lopsided rhythms. On “Today,” tech-house beats and Brazilian rhythms merge to provide the perfect foundation for Jose Gonzalez’s laid-back delivery. As for the glorious instrumental “Your Place,” consider it the long-lost sister to Minnie Riperton’s “Les Fleur.” Billboard
