Morcheeba, the trio of guitarist/keyboardist Ross Godfrey, his sibling drummer/programmer/lyricist Paul Godfrey and singer Skye Edwards, hail from Dover, England and since their inception in 1995 have been compared to everyone from Massive Attack to Portishead and others. When the two brothers started out, they were playing their fair share of clubs and were somewhat focused on melding ‘60s and 70s influences with their own brand of acoustic electronica. Then they met Edwards, whose fashion background, coupled with her smokily smooth voice and attitude, perfectly complemented the Godfrey brothers’ musical leanings. While hip-hop is clearly a major influence, the focus on acoustic instrumentation is obvious throughout Morcheeba’s work. This sensibility is combined with an upbeat core and results in a style of music that is both fun, soulful, beautiful and uplifting, which is one of the reasons fans and critics alike have had a tough time defining the group’s musical niche.

“The Sea” starts the album off in style with Edwards’ silky, jazzy voice and acoustic guitar flowing along behind her. “Blindfold” throws the beats with a penetrating and simple melody that kicks into high acoustic gear during each chorus: “I’m so glad to have you and it’s getting worse, I’m so mad to love you and your evil curse.” “Moog Island” is a soft and semi-jazzy tune that can only be described as smooth and soothing, but with an undercurrent of fiery soul. There are lots of electronic sounds that one might hear on a relaxation tape, with the sounds of water gurgling and undersea animals calling to us. “Way Beyond” is another one that starts off slowly, with a simple beat and an acoustic guitar plucking along with Edwards’ silky voice. “Undress Me Now” is sweetly melodic with the presence of background singers of the sort that one would hear in ‘60s and ‘70s groups like the Mamas and the Papas.

The luminousness of Edwards’ voice and the beats and ruminations of the Godfrey brothers are put together in a spectacular way. This is a really fine piece of work in all areas, as it essentially defines what the group is trying to do, which is anything they want. The music is for dancing, relaxing, or dancing in a relaxed manner, amazingly smooth, cool and full of passion. The music is always mixed perfectly with the vocals, which is not only a testament to the talent of the musicians themselves but also to the overall production and mixing team. The outlay of the compilation is also smooth, as the transitions between tracks make for a nice sampling of Morcheeba’s style, as well as introducing two previously unreleased songs.