Zero 7

Contact

Ken Weinstein
Big Hassle
weinstein@bighassle.com

Michael Eisele
michael@bighassle.com

Biography

In a noisy world overrun with Kim Kardashians and Kanye Wests, we should be grateful there’s still a space for acts likes Zero 7, the Greta Garbosof the music industry. It’s not that they are reclusive, merely that they prefer to do things their way; at a glacial pace that somehow also evokes the warmth of their music, too. Given that Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns first met as teenagers, it’s a testament to their durability and friendship that more than 30 years later they are still here, still working and producing music of the highest stripe. The pair first met in North West London. Having attended an audio engineering college, they both served apprenticeships as tape ops at Mickie Most’s legendary RAK Studios. “We all learnt a hell of alot there,” says Sam. “Incredible sessions in the big live room in Studio One. We’d do orchestras, bands, string sections, horns. A priceless, amazing education.” The growing need to fiddle about with AKAI samplers, however, led to them leaving RAK and taking a vow of poverty while they tried to hone their sound. Their first break came via school mate Nigel Godrich who offered them a Radiohead remix. The leap from the pair’s ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ mix to debut album Simple Things was not huge, even if the success was completely unexpected. “It didn’t feel that cohesive to me at the time,” says Sam, with typical understatement. Nonetheless, Simple Things was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, was certified Platinum in the UK and sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It was an amazing achievement for a debut album, but it came with its own pressures. “We had no ambition when we made Simple Things,” confesses Henry. “So we were suddenly landed in this weird place.” Over the ensuing eight years, Zero 7 recorded a further three albums, including Grammy Nominated The Garden, arguably their finest of the quartet, yielding the killer single ‘You’re My Flame’ featuring regular collaborator Sia. Inevitably, without a regular chart presence, they were quietly released into the wilds after the release of Yeah Ghost. They haven’t recorded another album since 2009. While none of the subsequent albums matched the sales of their debut, the quality has never faltered (check ‘The Road’ on Yeah Ghost for abundant evidence). Among fans eager to see another long-player, the phrase “criminally-underrated” is often summoned and with good reason. Over the course of the last decade, they have concentrated on releasing a series of brilliant singles and EPs on their own Make Records imprint, among them the divine Balearic-house of ‘Don’t Call It Love’, José Gonzáles ‘Aurora’ and ‘Last Light’ or last year’s bewitching ‘Swimmers’, featuring Jem Cooke. Which brings us to the current EP, picked up by BMG for release, with the fuzzy Norman Whitfield-style psychedelia of ’Shadows’ the lead track. The EP is a collaboration with singer/songwriter Lou Stone, “I was doing a writing session with him,” says Henry of their initial meeting. “But it didn’t take long for me to say, ‘Hey why don’t you try something on this?’ Immediately there was a relationship there.” The accompanying video, directed by Julian House whose artwork adorned Simple Things, delivers a suitably Burroughsian lockdown atmosphere. Aside from the brilliance of ‘Shadows’, on both ‘After The Fall’ and ‘Outline’ the boys’ arrangements perfectly bring out the appropriate melancholic weight in Lou’s vocals, while the country-sou l atmosphere of ‘Take My Hand’ completes the package. Working in an industry that thrives on cheap thrills and expensive habits, sometimes it’s hard to cut through to the things that truly matter. But more than 20 years down the line, Zero 7 are still delivering the goods.

Press Releases

Aug 28 2020 ZERO 7 RETURN WITH SHADOWS
ZERO 7 RETURN WITH SHADOWS

ACCLAIMED BRITISH DUO TEAM WITH

RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER LOU STONE FOR LONG-AWAITED NEW EP

SHADOWS HERALDED BY SPELLBINDING TITLE TRACK AVAILABLE NOW

SHADOWS EP ARRIVES VIA MAKE/BMG ON OCTOBER 23

Zero 7 have shared the title track of their soon-to-be-released Shadows EP, the acclaimed British duo’s first collection in more than half a decade. Shadows sees Zero 7 – Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker – teaming with renowned new singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Lou Stone for a spellbinding collaboration fusing the duo’s long-standing gift for soulful songcraft, lush arrangements, and inventive production with the London-based Stone’s standout vocal delivery. The news of the EP release is heralded by today’s premiere of the brilliant title track, “Shadows,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services; the track is joined by an official companion video, directed by renowned graphic designer/filmmaker Julian House (whose work includes the cover to Zero 7’s classic 2001 debut album, Simple Things) and streaming now via YouTube. Shadows EP will be released via Make/BMG on October 23. “We’ve gone back to the future with Lou Stone,” say Zero 7. “This song is a lockdown talk between lonely souls and shadows…Remote reciprocity….”

LISTEN TO “SHADOWS”

WATCH “SHADOWS”

About Zero 7: Zero 7 are of course acclaimed worldwide for their distinctive brand of emotionally evocative electronic pop, spanning four remarkable albums – including 2006’s GRAMMY® Award-nominated The Garden – along with three EPs, countless remixes, and visionary collaborations with such diverse artists as Sia, José Gonzalez, and Martha Tilston, to name but a few. ‘Shadows’ follows a series of recent singles, including 2018’s “Mono (Feat. Hidden)” and “Aurora” – the latter marking Zero 7’s latest collaboration with longtime creative partner José González – and most recently, last year’s “Swimmers,” featuring vocals by rising UK-based singer-songwriter Jem Cooke. The duo recently unveiled an exclusive “Zero 7: The Essentials” playlist, featuring all of the aforementioned singles alongside such legendary hits as “Destiny,” “In The Waiting Line,” “Somersault,” and much more, have also been re-issuing their back catalogue on heavy weight vinyl with exclusive bonus tracks and remixes. About Lou Stone: Lou Stone is a rising multi-instrumentalist & songwriter. Although a Londoner by birth, much of Lou’s youth was spent in Sydney – playing in local bands and exploring his ever-growing passion for music. It was while studying in Australia that Lou Stone fully realised his true calling was music, so he swiftly left Sydney behind to busk his way around the cities of Europe, performing early versions of his songs in dim lit streets and on metro station platforms. He now finds himself back where it all began, in London, and has spent the last two years honing his craft, writing and recording, with 2019 bearing the first fruits of his output in the shape of an independently released debut EP. Still relatively new to the scene, his rich, evocative & versatile vocals haven’t gone unnoticed, with Lou picking up support from the likes of The Independent, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash, high profile playlistings from Spotify and of course the ears of Zero 7. The future looks bright for this exceptional talent.

LISTEN TO ZERO 7: THE ESSENTIALS

photo credit: Ben Ingham

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Oct 23 2020 Zero 7's first collection in over 5 years out today
ZERO 7 SHADOWS EP OUT TODAY

ACCLAIMED BRITISH DUO’S FIRST COLLECTION IN OVER FIVE YEARS

FEATURES RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER LOU STONE

photo credit: Ben Ingham

"The Shadows EP is a return to form...it has all the feel-good, downtempo hallmarks of Zero 7 with the addition of Stone’s singer/songwriter sensibility.

Stone’s voice is one of the connective threads of these songs, but it also has a malleable quality

that wraps itself around the varied styles of Shadows."

Zero 7 have released their first collection of new songs in over five years -- SHADOWS arrives today via Make Records/BMG. From the melancholic electronica of "Shadows," the ambient sheen of "Outline" to the lush arrangements of "After The Fall" and "Take My Hand," the EP finds Zero 7 fusing their long-standing gift for soulful songcraft and inventive production with the London-based Lou Stone’s standout vocal delivery.

Earlier in the month, the group released a beautiful live-performance video of "Outline."

WATCH LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEO OF "OUTLINE"

"Outline" originally premiered in September via American Songwriter who said, "Shadows EP is the first record Zero 7 has released in a decade. The wait was worth the time. The songs may give Zero 7 another taste of what the duo (and friends) experienced years ago starting with a popular Radiohead remix and later with songs like 'Destiny.'"

LISTEN TO “OUTLINE”

The EP was first heralded with the brilliant title track, “Shadows,” which arrived alongside an official companion video, directed by renowned graphic designer/musician/filmmaker Julian House (whose work includes the cover to Zero 7’s classic 2001 debut album, Simple Things) and streaming now via YouTube.

LISTEN TO “SHADOWS”

WATCH “SHADOWS”

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