Simple Things (Zero 7 album)
album by Zero 7
Simple Things is the debut studio album by English duo Zero 7, released on 23 April 2001. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the chart for 56 weeks. In the U.S., it reached number 4 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Five singles, such as "Destiny" and "In the Waiting Line", promoted the album prior to its release.
Critical reception
Tim DiGravina of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, calling it "an accomplished slice of soulful genius that rewards frequent spins." He said, "the duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker mix a number of musical elements, such as soul-influenced diva vocals, gurgling and ringing keyboards, and classical string arrangements, into a relaxing, potent wave of sounds." Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5, saying, "More like jazz on acid than acid jazz, Simple Things can be hallucinatory yet eminently listenable; it's chill-out music with a little something for your mind as well." For Rob Mitchum, writing for Pitchfork, the album was too similar to Air's Moon Safari.
Track listing
Source:
In popular culture
"In the Waiting Line" appeared in the season 6 episode, "The Domino Effect" of Sex and the City, in the season 3 episode of House "Needle in a Haystack", and in the 2004 film Garden State and on its soundtrack.
"Destiny" appeared in the 2002 film Blue Crush, as well as the 2009 film Obsessed.
“Give It Away” was used as a background track on the CBBC show SMart when sharing viewers' artwork that had been sent in the previous week.
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
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Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q640148. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2001, 2004, 2002 and 2009.
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