Yeah Ghost

by Zero 7

Trying to forge a name and sound of your own when you're lumped into a particular movement is a very tricky thing to pull off well. 2001's Simple Things was such a sublime record, building on the work of 90s chillout heroes Air, and so perfectly timed alongside the likes of Royksopp's Melody AM, that moving forward and (inevitably) away from the sound that won you a fanbase in the early days has to be navigated with great skill to keep the critics and the fans happy. It worked, too: The Garden was a fantastic collection of songs. Losing the dreamlike nature of earlier efforts and moving towards a more 'live' sound, while retaining familiarity through the presence of collaborator-on-retainer Sia Furler, it was one of the highlights of 2006.

Yeah Ghost is the duo's attempts to further stretch their production skills and explore new territory. The focus is far more electronic than in the past - static clicks and pops, samples are reversed and looped – and, in the one-two hit of 'Ghost sYMbOL' and 'Sleeper', even dubstep and harsh IDM are thrown into the mix. 'Ghost sYMbOL', in fact, is one of the highlights here, all fractured vocals and low-end rumbling, though it does come as a bit of a surprise after the relatively bright and happy electro-swing of 'Medicine Man' - and that it's on a Zero 7 track at all.

Elsewhere the ideas come thick and fast, giving the album more the feel of laid-back experimentation than a hard-laboured concept; the soulful 'Mr. McGee' is followed by the circus waltz of 'Swing', the electro-pop of 'Everything Up (Zizou)' leading into the Martha Tilston-led folksy jazz of 'Pop Art Blue'. They even, albeit probably accidentally, touch upon classic hymns with 'The Road', such is its resemblance to 'Amazing Grace' at times. Yeah Ghost is certainly a producer’s, rather than a musician's, labour of love, though this shouldn't send you running to the hills. Neither should the fact that they're moving ever further from the sound that made their name. There's more than enough here to satisfy those looking to Zero 7 for examples of good old fashioned pop songwriting, they've just decided to have a bit of fun with their creative methods. Isn't that what fourth albums are for?