Head Up High

Morcheeba - “Head Up High”
Label- PIAS

Teddy Morris-Knower

Very easy to, head nodding grooving, reminding me a little of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at times but with some more electronic touches, surging and wobbling sounds over the steady guitar and drumbeats. Variety of slower and faster for different times. Great compliments of vocals with instrumentals, either could work well on their own. Mostly space synths combined with indie rock, but some raps along the way. A little repetitive at times with the electronic guitar and drums and some songs are very similar, but individual songs are great, especially 1,2,6 for more electronic rock, 7,8 for some rap verses No FCCs.
1. (4:51) Gimme Your Love – Great female vocals combined with a steady drumbeat and a “feel-good space-grooving” synth (reminds me of MGMT) wobbling in and out. Steely Dan guitar solo in the middle. Great for radio
2. (3:57) Face Of Danger – Steady guitar beat combined with male and female chorus harmony. Again surging synth in and out makes the background very interesting and fun to listen to. Transitions to a male spoken voice in the middle spitting some good flow and another solid guitar solo.
3. (4:00) Call It Love – Slower with Male vocals dominating but light female vocals in the background. Distorted guitar in the background.
4. (3:41) Under The Ice – Guitar triplets, a light banjo, light drums (no snares) with some wooden knocks create a rich, complex background (makes me think of walking through the rainforest) that compliments the breathy female vocals.
5. (2:07) I'll Fall Apart – Slower, with piano backing up male female harmonies.
6. (3:42) Make Believer – Faster, sounds almost like reggae with a strong female voice, could imagine this being played at an indie music festival and everyone in the crowd dancing.
7. (4:10) Release Me Now – Upbeat drums and guitar with spacey background sounds. Female vocals, and a rap in the middle. Decent flow, no FCCs.
8. (4:39) To Be – Very different song than the first 7, at least in the beginning. More like hip hop, with a solid beat with turntables and a rap to start, transitions more into the synth groove like the beginning of the album. Very good hook, will get you interested. Ends with another rap verse over some jazzy beats that tells a pretty good story.
9. (4:03) Hypnotized – Steady drumbeats and guitar keep the song going, with a woman with a latino accent having a spoken word/rap verse in the middle.
10. (5:13) To The Grave – Human humming and african sounding drums lead the song into a layered middle, with drums, guitars, synthesizer, bass combining to support the female vocals.
11. (3:34) Do You Good – Electric guitar and drums throughout into a full song and a catchy chorus.
12. (4:25) Finally Found You – African drums lead into the song into a soulful, but relaxed laid back beat and beautiful vocals from the female singer.