Morcheeba

MORCHEEBA were the pioneers of downtempo, the architects of trip-hop, the masterminds behind records that have now sold over five million copies. “We invented chillout with songs,” says Ross Godfrey. The sound soon became synonymous with spectacular sunsets and late night comedowns. Eventually, somehow inevitably, it ended up everywhere – soundtracking films and adverts, included on compilation albums and de rigeur at dinner parties and spawning the likes of Air, Zero 7 and Dido.

Morcheeba released their first album Who Can You Trust in 1996. Big Calm, released two years later, saw their profile soar worldwide as they defined a new blend of soul, hip-hop, country and electronica. Its follow up, Fragments Of Freedom (2000), took a more poppy approach, while Charango (2002) saw them collaborate with the likes of Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner and legendary rap artist Slick Rick. Parts Of The Process, a Greatest Hits album followed in 2003, as well as a live DVD – From Brixton To Beijing – that contained documentary footage of their groundbreaking tour of China.

After four albums, something had changed in the MORCHEEBA camp. Paul and Ross, burnt out on touring and the decadence that made it bearable, found it tough to even contemplate working together. Two years on sitting in their South London studio shortly after the completion of their new album, THE ANTIDOTE, Ross sums up the situation. “It was clear that the three members of MORCHEEBA were pulling in different directions, with their own interests and priorities making it increasingly difficult to work together. The glue of desperation and hunger that kept us together during the early years had come unstuck.

Ross’ answer was simple. He put MORCHEEBA on ice. “I travelled a lot, to South America, South East Asia and North Africa. I started a rock group called The Jukes, played shows and released a single. It was fun. I found it cathartic to play loud.”


Artist's Website
Artist's MySpace