Track Listing

1. Darkness
2. Stronger
3. Sugar 5
4. Angelica
5. Till The Clouds Clear
6. Wonder
7. Sun
8. Learn
9. Please
10. That Thing (Open Up)
11. Hearts And Flowers
12. Gabriel
13. Gabriel
14. Heaven

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33754 in Music
• Released on: 2003-11-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 61 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Springing from the trip-hop revolution, Lamb have proved themselves to be masters of their genre. With Between Darkness and Wonder, they consolidate earlier advances rather than invade new territories. Recorded in a farmhouse just outside Bath, their fourth album has singer Lou Robinson and techno-wizard Andy Barlow in fine form. Though the opening "Darkness" is a mess of burbles, scratches and disjointed synths, they quickly find their feet with the quiet clatter and beautifully blended vocals of "Stronger" and the smooth bass and swirling effects of "Sugar 5". Following the instrumental "Angelica", they introduce a deft folky guitar for the excellent and eventually storming augury of "Till the Clouds Clear", and this remains in place for the intimate, innocent "Wonder" and mildly rocking "Sun". Throughout, Barlow creates a series of blissful, sometimes turbulent backdrops for Robinson's sweet voice, cast somewhere between Beth Gibbons and Victoria Williams. In turn, she explores the minutiae of problematic relationships while remaining ever positive. The album suffers somewhat from the addition of three extra remixes, MJ Cole's take on "Gabriel" being inappropriately festive and clunky, while Nellee Hooper's version of the same track is tasteful but, naturally, reminiscent of Bjork. Between Darkness and Wonder could easily stand without them. --Dominic Wills

Customer Reviews

Is this really trip-hop? Because it really seems to defy labelling of sorts..
As I saunter and tip-toe around one dreamy spiritual track to the next, I realize our beloved Lamb duo has done it yet again. And perhaps, for the last time (I sure wish it wasn't true!). I picked this up 3 years ago and I heard only last year that the duo had parted ways. It seems like they had so much more to offer but it's hard to keep two brilliant minds at bay. Like all things in music and life, you must grow, evolve and take risks in order to flourish or risk becoming stagnant and complacent - which would be a greater tragedy. As for this album, they ended off on a very high note. A seemingly simple, innocent and light facade on the surface gives way to an underlying complexity of rhythms and emotions that are forever thought-provoking. And on the track 'Learn', Lou's voice takes a welcome yet brief departure from her signature sultry airy sound and becomes a richer soprano - albeit too short and fleeting! A timelessness pervades this music which ensures repeated listening long into the distant future..

bravo mes ami.

This is-was Trip-hop truly redefined..

Lou and Andy, you were brilliant together! I sincerely wish you 2 to continue weaving this blissful magic for years to come - if not together, then on your own separate solo careers..

Apt summation
Lamb's fifth album since their self-titled debut of 1996 also turned out to be the last, with both founding members Andy Barlow and Louise Robinson (Louise Rhodes as was, having gone on to marry Crispin Robinson) embarking on solo projects. Perhaps wisely quitting while they were still ahead, Lamb brought a level of sophistication, lyrically, musically and emotionally, almost unique in the world of drum and bass, although this is a music that cannot be wholly ascribed to any one category.

In this record they have achieved a summation of their art, be it in the deceptively pastoral passages of Clouds Clear, or the attack on your loudspeakers that is Sugar 5. At times exploring the darkest corners of human relationships, while at others celebrating the joys of living, Lamb can only make one look forward to what they come up with individually in the future

Excellent
The album seems a good step for Lamb, and shows their transition from their first two 'head' albums and is a perfect partner for 'What Sound' as the second 'Heart' album.