I’m still kind of bitter about missing Morcheeba’s show from a few weeks back. I’ve never seen these soul-minded, trip-hoppin’ Brits perform live, and I somehow missed them in their mid-’90s heyday. So I was totally looking forward to it. Unfortunately, I was working late on a film shoot in Cheviot Hills, so I couldn’t swing the trip to DTLA’s Regent Theatre in time. Bummer.
Anyway, Morcheeba were pretty big stuff in their prime, mixing it up with the aforementioned trip hop, as well as downtempo, R&B, electronica, and alternative rock. With this latest track, “Mezcal Dream,” we can add psychedelic rock to their canon. This one comes from their ninth and latest album “Blaze Away.” It’s also their first new material in five years. And I might add, it’s all pretty darn good.
I chose “Mezcal Dream,” since it’s a bit different from their usual fare. It’s a nifty kaleidoscopic creeper, rolling smoothly along in waves of electric, guitar-centric psychedelia. The vocals are less front and center, more hazed in the background currents of hypnotic blues and spatial shades. Skye Edwards is joined by guest vocalist/collaborator Amanda Zamolo, so that might have something to do with it.
In some ways, this one kind of reminds me of when Death in Vegas eschewed their electronic beats for a detour into dusty psychedelia. In other words, it was surprisingly great, a clever and crafty step out of their usual creature comfort zones.
I’m hoping Morcheeba makes another round to the states, perhaps on a second leg of their tour, or maybe a future festival date. We’ve got a few of those coming up in SoCal in 2020, so finger’s crossed. Until then, enjoy the trip-hop roll of downtempo psychedelia that is “Mezcal Dream.”
“Mezcal Dream” from the 2019 album “Blaze Away.”
