Morcheeba are back and are two-thirds of their former selves. Daisy Martey, latterly of Noonday Underground, replaces the sultry Skye Edwards on vocal duties. Her voice heralds a distinct shift of musical style from brothers-in-music Ross and Paul Godfrey.
Wonders Never Cease, the first single from new album The Antidote, has an immediately live feel compared with past Morcheeba songs. The drums were recorded live, and it shows. Daisy's voice is of course the other obvious difference. Skye's warm and welcoming voice was an intrinsic part of the Morcheeba sound as understood by their public - and Daisy's voice is very different.
There's no denying her range, but for this reviewer she proves something of an acquired taste - so much so that the instrumental section is unusually pleasing. The music is as sassy and inventive as ever, but Daisy's powerful lungs have turned Morcheeba into a quite different animal. It's still one to stroke on your knee, but now it seems it might bite at any moment.
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