Zero 7 - The Garden

The third album by English electronic duo Zero 7 (Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker), is frustrating to assess. Each of the 12 tracks on The Garden contain exciting musical ideas: splendid vocals (provided by Sia Furler and Jose Gonzalez), soulful horn arrangements and percussive, forward-moving beats. At times, however, these achievements are challenged for primacy by colorless synthesizers and stale production values. Each laudable moment finds a lackluster counterpart, causing the record to ebb and flow inconsistently. The Garden is at its best when focusing on two elements: the outstanding vocals of its prominent guests and Zero 7’s abilities to deftly weave ingredients of electronica with organic instrumentation. Though different in vocal effect, the talent of Furler and Gonzalez shine through in each appearance. Furler adds a smoky presence to tracks like “Pageant of the Bizarre”, “You’re My Flame” and “If I Can’t Have You”, a torch song for the digital age. Gonzalez has a more tranquil charisma, best expressed on “Futures” and “Left Behind.” One of the finest examples of realized potential on the record, “Futures”, features an effortless groove equally propelled by acoustic guitar, Gonzalez’ vocals and a subdued electric shimmer. The dilemma comes not in the quality of the material (save the useless “Seeing Things”) but its treatment. For example, well-arranged horn parts appear throughout the album, but the attempt to record them with a retro feel results in dulling the instruments’ brilliance (one instance is around the 2:30 mark in “Your Place”). In other cases, a well-crafted groove or feeling of forward motion is allowed to meander past the point of acceptable repetition (see “Your Place” or “Today”). Overall, the production seems to lack a certain quality that would enable each song to reach its possible height and depth. Unfortunately, The Garden's successes make its blemishes all the more evident. Binns and Hardaker should be commended for working to incorporate other musical elements into the world of chilled-out electronica; they came very close to creating a seamless garment. The future exploration of these ideas should allow Zero 7 the opportunity to create something really special. [www.zero7.co.uk]