Zero 7

Kudos to Zero 7, the British production duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker (old chums of Nigel Godrich; all three were apprentice studio rats together), for having the guts to make an album that shifts into seriously down-tempo gear and stays there. We’re talking really slow and really somber. As a result, When It Falls may be too challenging for some attention spans. It also lacks the world-beat and jazz flavorings that made Zero 7’s debut, Simple Things, gleam with light-footed (and lightheaded) diversity. But When It Falls is a winter record if there ever was one, and it cuts to the bone. Singers Sophie Barker, Sia Furler, Mozez and newcomer Tina Dico fit their respective songs perfectly while casting rays of light into the album’s creeping melancholy. Which is also what makes it so authentic. But it’s also a rich brew for brave listeners; it picks you up right when you need it the least.