Morcheeba - 'Blood Like Lemonade' (PIAS) Released: 07/06/10

I’m a big advocate of change and trying new things. Let’s face it, the world would be a lesser place without the likes of sugar-free Coke, chunky chocolate bars or pear cider. That said, there really are some key ingredients that you should never be permitted to tamper with, as the original trip-hop trio, Morcheeba have come to realise on their new album, ‘Blood like Lemonade’.

Morcheeba officially entered the music scene in ‘96 with the critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Who Can you Trust?’Their unique funky fusion of electric, blues and down tempo beats combined with the unmistakable fluid vocals of their lead singer Skye Edwards to catapult them to popularity, and saw the launch of a further three top-charting albums including ‘Big Calm’, and ‘Fragments of Freedom’.

But the talented trio shocked fans world-wide in 2003 when they announced Skye was leaving the group, following their fourth album, ‘Charango’. Despite releasing another two albums thereafter, founding band members (brothers) Paul and Ross Godfrey failed to replace the singer and following a chance meeting seven years on, have asked the estranged songstress to join them again, and haved produced what is arguably their most accomplished work yet.

As always with Morcheeba, one can expect nothing short of perfection in the production of this album.
Unlike other groups with a penchant for electronica, every instrument, beat, scratch and sample is carefully selected making it sound progressive yet beautifully organic and home-grown. The fabulous first track, ‘Crimson’, sets itself aside from the rest, as Skye’s vocal’s reach an all new transcendental high, rendering it the ultimate stay at home track and a hard one to follow.

Supported by a surreal video in which Skye is filmed singing under water, the repetitive delay of the snare drum from start to finish during ‘Even Thoug’h is a tad reminiscent of Madonna’s ‘Frozen’, but its catchy choral lyrics are so Morcheeba-esque it’s sure to have listeners hitting ‘replay.’

True fans could find themselves thinking they’ve heard the signature track, ‘Blood Like Lemonade’, before as you’ll quickly discover they’ve used the same successful beat sequence found in ‘Blindfold’ (‘Big Calm’) and I’ve a feeling it will be an even bigger hit as result.

And if you ‘wanna know why…there’s a dead guy in her dining room’ you’ll have to listen out for ‘Recipe for Disaste’r (Skye’s favourite track on the album) just one of the melodic and seemingly innocent tracks derived from a much darker story.

They say the Sky’s the limit, but clearly this is not the case for Morcheeba, and with Edwards back at the helm let’s hope there’s more to come.