REVIEW: Olive, Trickle (Maverick)
- Joann D. Ball
Trickle is the much anticipated sophomore release from Northern England's electronic duo Olive. Building on a solid foundation established in 1997 with the excellent debut Extra Virgin, keyboardist Tim Kellett and vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle once again experiment with an adventurous mix of drum 'n' bass, jungle and reggae dub. And this time out, Olive add yet another amazing twist to their signature trip-pop sound.
Olive have a new record label, and the duo's relationship with Maverick Records has everything to do with impressing the right people. Super fans Madonna and her Maverick co-partner Guy Oseary initially contacted Kellett and Ruth-Ann about contributing to the Next Best Thing soundtrack. Since Olive had just ended an agreement with RCA Records, Maverick was well ahead in the recruitment game. Not only did Olive produce an exciting dance cover of the 10cc classic "I'm Not In Love" for the soundtrack, the duo also signed a long term deal with the label. And Trickle is the fantastic result.
"I'm Not In Love," which is included on the new release, is connecting with audiences in dance clubs and is receiving significant airplay on dance/hits-oriented radio stations across the country. But that cover is just a mere hint of what fills the long player. Olive once again casts that signature ethereal hypnotic spell from the first sounds of the opening track "Love Affair" through the last note of the secret bonus track "Take My Hand."
While the grooves on Trickle are more subtle, the sound remains melodic, textured and multi-layered. The songwriting is still brutally honest and straightforward as it addresses the various emotions and moods evoked by love and loss. Kellett, who writes from a distinctly feminine point of view, penned half of the tracks solo and collaborated with Ruth Ann on four songs. The heartfelt and soulful "Smile," however, was written by the duo with partner Peter Vettesse. Ruth-Ann's captivating and soothing vocals, which made "You're Not Alone" an international hit for Olive three years ago, work similar magic on "All You Ever Needed" and "Speak to Me." The most outstanding track here, though, is "Push" which enhances an electronic ambient sound with classical orchestration.
Olive are scheduled to perform a series of live dates in the U.S. this Summer to support Trickle. With a new record label, a new record and tour, Olive will once again deliver trip-pop to the masses.
