Home > Los Angeles Music > CD Review > Morcheeba, 'Dive Deep'

Backstory: Two of chillout's most reliable players, Morcheeba's musical brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey have merged acoustic craftwork with danceable soundtracking since their stellar 1996 debut, "Who Do You Trust?" Although they counted smooth-as-silk vocalist Skye Edwards as a fellow traveler for most of their well-regarded journey, she parted with the band in 2003 and a variety of singers have stepped in to fill her considerable void.

Why you should care: Even without Skye, Morcheeba still has the musical skills to pay the bills. Los Bros Godfrey have a distinct ear for head-bobbing electronica that can mix-and-match vocalists without skipping a beat, like their more storied cousins Thievery Corporation. "Dive Deep" marks their first effort with a gripload of international vocalists, including Korean rapper Cool Calm Pete, U.K. vet Judie Tzuke, Norwegian artist Thomas Dybdahl and even a budding French diva named Manda culled from the pages of MySpace.

Verdict: While some don't like the loss of Edwards, the rotating pipes keep "Dive" pretty deep. Dybdahl's honeyed voice on slow burners like "Sleep On It Tonight" and laptop-poppers like "Riverbed" should make fans of Zero 7 feel right at home. Tzuke, a star in her own right since being signed by Elton John in the '70s, lends an ethereal folk foundation to spiraling structures like "Enjoy the Ride" and "Blue Chair." Cool Calm Pete's laid-back lyricism and flute beatboxing keep "One Love Karma" light as the feather—even though, as the guest rapper promises, his "Jimmy weighs a ton." Manda, meanwhile, is a bit understated on "Gained the World," but give the kid a break.

X-Factor: In street slang, "more cheeba" means more marijuana. Morcheeba's latest effort includes a tune called "Hemphasis," and U.K. hemp apparel outfit THTC has designed their merchandise.

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