Acclaimed British production duo Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker, a.k.a. Zero 7, have teamed up with singer Lou Stone for their latest endeavor, a forthcoming Shadows EP due out later this month on October 23rd via Zero 7/Make Records/BMG. The second single to appear on the forthcoming album, “Outline”, was released late last month, and the duo with Lou Stone have now shared a live studio performance of the haunting ballad which also featured contributions from bassist Rob Mullarkey, percussionist Tom Skinner, and cellist Ian Burdge.
The live video shared last week brings fans into the studio where the musicians gently ease their way through the softer tune, as led by Stone’s poignant lyrics. The performance’s stripped and organic musical arrangement only furthers Zero 7’s reputation as one of the best songwriting/production teams today, even two decades following the arrival of their debut EP in 2000.
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“The track came together over a long period of writing,” Zero 7 and Lou Stone told Clash with the premiere of the live studio performance. “We went through quite a few versions of the song to arrive at the final product, jumping between more upbeat electronica and very stripped back piano and vocals before settling on a version that allows the core components of the song – it’s melodies, lyrics and unusual harmony – to stand out. It really is about seeing the outline of something new on the horizon and about the anticipation of not knowing how things will end up.”
Watch the group perform the song from the comforting confines of the studio below.
Zero 7 ft. Lou Stone – “Outline” (Live)
[Video: Zero 7 Official]
[H/T Clash Music]