Multi-million-selling and critically acclaimed darlings of down-tempo, Morcheeba, will release their highly anticipated sixth and latest album
Dive Deep in the US on February 19th on Ultra Records.
“Morcheeba have found the tie that binds Sixties spy music,
blues-infused hip-hop and fragile balladry”- Rolling Stone
Having sold 6 million albums, toured the world over and produced some of the most moving
and instantly recognizable tunes throughout the nineties and “noughties”,
Morcheeba are about to make a massive return with their new album "Dive Deep",
that is considered by the founding members as an “emotional blueprint”
which has restored their faith in music.
“…the band mixes it up with deep-dish dub grooves,
snatches of rap,sumptuous string arrangements,
and the kind of canny song-craft that's frequently absent
from other trip-hop-pop collectives.” - Entertainment Weekly
Morcheeba’s refusal to be categorized musically extends to the band’s set-up, and in 2008,
these pioneers of song-based dance music have become an eclectic and open-minded collective.
The thoughts and experiments of the creators and musical minds behind the band are brothers
Paul and Ross Godfrey who provide the backbone and unique sound that
has gotten the band where they are today. This time the band have delved into a new territory and
have produced songs with various guest vocal collaborators,
most of who were sought out via myspace and the internet, artists they discovered and wanted to provide
a platform and a canvas for them to collaborate, resulting in a truly innovative and daring album.
“Morcheeba...establish a link between live rock performance and clubby electronica.” -Variety
Guests on "Dive Deep" range from established names such as acclaimed singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke,
to relative newcomers Thomas Dybdahl from Norway, rapper Cool Calm Pete, and Manda,
a French singer who contacted the Godfreys via Myspace, admitting it was her dream to sing with Morcheeba.
Tracklisting for Dive Deep
DIVE DEEP
Paul Godfrey on the album, track by track:
1 ENJOY THE RIDE
This song came about after a long conversation about Los Angeles.
Both Ross and Judie (Tzuke) had just come back from there and when the chat ended we wrote it in about 20 minutes.
It was perfect, one of our very best and the lead single. It sounds like Fleetwood Mac in their prime.
2 RIVERBED
This song for me is a beautiful suicide pact between two lovers. Thomas' (Dybdahl) vocal range is amazing -
he sounds like Roy Orbison on smack. You can really feel the cool river wash over you.
3 THUMBNAILS
This is Ross typically playing everything over a dark dub groove that I configured.
4 RUN HONEY RUN
The only cover version we have ever put on an album and one of John Martyn's lesser-known classics from his early folk days.
I sliced and diced it with all this great new technology and it still sounds so pure and gorgeous.
5 GAINED THE WORLD
Ross and I wrote this really quickly. It’s about succeeding in every way and still feeling like there is something missing.
When Manda put her voice to it, it sounded really bittersweet.
6 ONE LOVE KARMA
The incredible Cool Calm Pete walking out on a dying relationship. It’s got a wonderful humour and pathos.
The track also features the world’s first recorded fluteboxing - a human beatbox through a flute - by the Mak of all trades.
7 BLUE CHAIR
This track is very much like the early, raw Morcheeba. We all need love and warmth and we shouldn't be afraid
to give in to our basic need to be nurtured in this complicated age.
8 AU-DELA
A track we wrote with Manda and our first French track. I love the simplicity and the elegance.
9 SLEEP ON IT
Another classic Thomas track with an Americana feel. It reminds me of The Band, and Ross laid down this amazing guitar work.
10 THE EDGE BEYOND THE LEDGE
The title comes from a Bill Hicks sketch about Keef Richard.
It really feels as if we are going over the edge full of repressed aggression and psychedelics.
11 WASHED AWAY
Effortless Dybdahl delivery, softly singing his heart out to reassure somebody all will be okay.
This really harks back to our early slow-tempo, Floyd-esque, trip hop. Ross is really playing the blues on this.
Lead track 'Enjoy The Ride' features Judie’s soulful voice, which has enchanted Paul since childhood,
and 'One Love Karma' sees Cool Calm Pete incorporate the world’s first ever recorded fluteboxing –
a human beatbox through a flute.
'Riverbed' and 'Sleep On It Tonight' show off Thomas Dybdahl’s impressive Roy Orbison like vocal range,
and together, the collaborations provide an atmosphere of genuine fluidity and free-form exploration.
“This is a serious group of musicians, not some studio-bolstered electronica or trip-hop outfit.
Sure, they're British and they do the mellow-dance-vibe DJ thing,
but during their performances Morcheeba are as much about
slide guitar and live drumming as they are about... dance beats.” - Rolling Stone
Paul Godfrey produced Dive Deep, with brother Ross conjuring the sounds to match the mood of gentle devastation. The blend of soul baring catharsis, quietly powerful beat detonations and modern technology, is described by Ross as
“Nick Drake produced by the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.”
Dive Deep is out on Ultra Records February 19, 2008
Morcheeba will be playing selective cities this year.
| 
MORCHEEBA Dive Deep on ULTRA Records this February
