essential recordings (alphabetical by album title)
A-E | F-J | K-O | P-T | U-Z

We Travel Fast - Chungking (2000)

amazon.com review:
The first thing that grabbed me when I heard this album playing in a CD shop was the distinct style and quality of the vocals. Sounding (somehow) like a singer from the 1950's or 60's, but with an entirely modern feel, Jessie Banks's voice possesses a smouldering sensuality, rare warmth and charisma, and a lazy, laid-back delivery that frequently makes this listener go weak at the knees.
With multi-tracked harmonies she wallows and swoops all over the songs, sometimes subdued, sometimes with gay abandon, but always - and I mean ALWAYS - in total control of that voice.

Of course, a singer alone is nothing without a good song to sing, and Chungking have really delivered the goods here. Musically, I'd describe Chungking's music as: 50% Pop, 15% trip hop, 15% indie, 10% soul and 10%... something new and indefinable. It is simultaneously off-the-wall and accessible; mainstream yet avant-garde, familiar yet somehow brand new.

It's basically pop music with a few twists and a dark edge. There are moments when you could be listening to any current, girl-fronted pop band (The Cardigans, for example), but just when you think you've got a handle on things, the deft musical craftsmanship and top-drawer song-writing take matters in hand and throw a curve ball at you, and suddenly mainstream pop turns into something entirely weird (though in no way unpleasant). There are 3 songs towards the end of the album where the band (and producer) have really pushed the boat out and allowed experimentalism to take over, where even Jessie's delicious voice is electronically treated and dropped in pitch, allowing her to croon as a `man' singing about `pretty ladies', very reminiscent of Prince in the late eighties, which is no mean feat.

Altogether, We Travel Fast is an album not to be missed. I bought it having only heard one song, and the album captivated me entirely. It's truly superb, and easily the best thing to happen in the music world during 2003.

Wherever I Am, I Am What Is Missing - Laika (2003)

amazon.com review:
Outer space has never looked so good as when lying on Earth's grassy topsoil, sparkling with chips of mica and quartz. Laika have managed to capture that sound, taking a more melodic journey towards alien territory, leaving behind only trace elements of the inner city, training their eyeballs and telescopes on the night sky instead, and their hearts and minds towards inner space. With lyrics like "I look for the silvery moon, but there's no one but me and my lonely key, a bare bulb rented room," and "believed in a young man, that's where I went wrong, now I'm in the gutter and I ain't got long," this is one of Margaret Fiedler's most personal explorations. Whether the lyrics are about her or she speaks from another's perspective, she's looking further inside.

This is a simpler, more melodic album, a new texture of sonic wizardry creating space and sparkles within Laika's bustling soundscapes. Margaret's also singing more, her sticky whisper making room for a sensual croon. As usual, "Girl Without Hands" is another memorable opener. It croaks and creeps from your speakers, growing into a twisted vine of fragrant blooms with a poisonous hook at the center. Margaret's eerie chorus of "home safe & sound" sneaks into your system like a drug, addicting you to the song. "Leaf By Leaf" floats on lush pillows of synths and percolating beats, as lovely as "Glory Cloud" from Good Looking Blues. "Dirty Bird" is a stellar example of Laika's lonely magic, haunting you with Margaret's bereft chorus of "what went wrong/shame on...", as Rob Ellis's busy drumming and Guy Fixen's shimmering synths uplift the downtempo.

This is what Laika do best - organic electronica: live drumming mixed with sampling wizardry, synths and the occasional guitar effect. Guy and Margaret add in some new elements this time, like the funky bassline around which "Alphabet Soup" shimmers. "Diamonds & Stones" tosses a Carribbean backbeat behind Margaret's sorrowful sing-song tale of another relationship gone awry ("gave him my hips, offered my lips, stop your cryin' child"). It's business as usual with "Fish for Nails," but with a beat so large it crashes through your speakers, and a synthesized sample of Margaret's voice that weaves its way through the song like an alien sex kitten. Yet her lyrics speak of desolation: "all is ash in my mouth, I can't live here anymore."

Not every song on this album is an exploration of hopelessness. "King Sleepy" spreads some hope, "we can be hurt a piece at a time, 'til the curtains of night draw back with the light." And "Leaf By Leaf" glows with lovely imagery: "gliding by on water wings, leaf by leaf, starlings sing..." But, as evidenced by the title of this album, "Wherever I am, I am What is Missing," taken from a Mark Strand poem, hope is hard to come by. Laika may dazzle you with sampled effects, make you wanna tap your toes or shake your bon-bon like you're in some lunar spaceport cafe... but there's a human soul at its center. And we humans are notoriously questioning beings. Who am I? Why am I here? Where do I fit under the stars, above the earth?

Who Can You Trust? - Morcheeba (1996)

amazon.com review:
Like most people, I was aware of Morcheeba for a long time, but dismissed them as a wannabe Portishead at the time. It was only with the brilliant 'Big Calm' that my perceptions changed. I went back to this album, their first, and while it was not as instant as 'big calm', there is much to savour. Opening with the magical 'Moog Island', (which I was already familiar with thanks to its inclusion on 'Big Calm' as a bonus track) the pace and stlye for the album is set. Slow grooving with lush keyboards, light cymbals and funky guitars, it serves as a good indicator for the rest of the album. Skye's voice is gorgeous, and she sings in a deep and soothing tone. It perfectly complements the musical background she sings over. 'Trigger Hippie', the hit single, is a bit more upbeat, and it's use of slide guitar as well as scratching provides an interesting backgound for Skye's catchy vocal. There are many short bursts of instumentals on the album, such as the funky 'Post Houmous', or the 'End Theme' which reprises parts of Moog Island at a faster pace. But my favourite track is the beautiful 'Howling'. The introduction of a string quartet seems to help Morcheeba realise the whole extent of their talent (it was this that made Big Calm so brilliant) and the song is an epic, helped by Skye's growlsome vocal. The only problem with the album is that I feel it is a bit overlong, and editing would have helped. Most of the tracks are brilliant, but they are sometimes a bit forgettable as the album is so long. If you liked Big Calm, then this is a worthy purchase, and it is interesting to hear the roots of Big Calm's unusual sound.

amazon.com review:
It must be said, this is Morcheeba's greatest and most powerful album to date (though, in this reviewer's opinion, the artistically opposite "Charango" comes a very close second). Indeed, if you are new to the genre, this album is a must-have. Much unlike many of the group's classification peers, Morcheeba does not dwell in dark angry depression in this album. Instead, most of the tracks bring a rush of optimism and hope. All this while remaining in a musical style that is shared by many but sent in a remarkably smooth and sensual approach. The mixture brings a very powerful sonic nicotine fix of sorts, emanating a contradicting dark and gritty background with relaxing, smooth, and soothing vocals. Skye Edwards' type of singing is usually reserved for lounge or jazz but is seamlessly mixed into the music creating one of the best and greatest chill-out albums ever made and a definite must-have. Most important of all, this album has the classic track "Trigger Hippie" (which I absolutely love!).
However, it's not for everyone. You may want to wean yourself in by trying "Big Calm" first.