CRITICS love to hate this band, and their fans too, dismissing them as lightweights with an appetite for dinner party music, which always struck me as unfair.
This double CD begins with a 16-track collection of Zero 7 highs: Futures, Destiny, Home, Somersault and Distractions, the dreamy electro-pop that became the band’s hallmark. Change to CD 2 and prepare for a sonic assault on these hits, with 14 re-mixes from the likes of Carl Craig, Metronomy and Madlib. It begins with Madlib’s jaunty jazzy rejig of Distractions, which seems at odds with Sia Furler’s heartfelt vocal.
Other favourites such as Tina Dico’s Joni Mitchell-inspired Home is more of a success, but it all goes horribly wrong again on Destiny, arguably Zero 7’s best-loved track, which sounds as if the CD has gone several rounds with David Haye. Zero 7 have produced a record of two halves, I know which one I prefer; if it ain’t broke, don’t mix it.
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