Zenzero – “Monochrome”

Its music video just released today, “Monochrome” is a new track from Zenzero, the post-electronic duo of Tim Kellett (Durutti Column, Simply Red, Olive) and Rosie Doonan (Birdie, Peter Gabriel). Consuming from the get-go, trickles of piano accompany an in-and-out voice, culminating just past the one-minute mark for an atmospheric, nocturnal vein of electronica — with a quaintly infectious vocal melody leading the way. The “if you’re fallin’ down,” hook at 01:47 really lifts things up, ascending from atmospheric charm to more hook-heavy sentiments. It’s a great piece of songwriting and atmospheric production from Zenzero.

The duo started their collaboration in 2014, beginning work on new swing musical The Canary Girls, which will be premiered in Sheffield in 2019. Through that project’s collaboration working well, Kellett and Doonan decided to join together to craft post-electronic soul, infused on debut album Ordinary Illusions, released this past December. “Monochrome” is that release’s captivating follow-up.

More information on these two talented musicians’ backgrounds below:

Tim Kellett kicked off his music career in the post-punk band The Durutti Column in 1984, where he was studying at the RNCM Manchester and where he later became a founder member of the pop group Simply Redr. With Simply Red he would tour the world extensively and record the first four iconic albums, Picture Book, Men and Women, A New Flame and Stars. In 1995 Kellett formed his own band Olive, which in 1997 would earn him his first self-penned UK No.1 with the electronica / dance anthem ‘You’re Not Alone’. With this song he was awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello award and two Brit nominations. In recent years Kellett has concentrated on song writing for various different artists, which include, James Morrison, Lighthouse Family, Taio Cruz, Girls Aloud, Emma Bunton, Kylie Minogue to name but a few and in

Rosie Doonan is a singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Hailing from Wakefield and born into the folk family phenomenon of ‘The Mighty Doonans’, Rosie would cut her musical teeth in the world of folk. Success came early with a teenage performance at The Royal Albert Hall with a cappella group The Sweet Nothings. Rosie then went on to record her debut album with Ben Murray which earned her a Horizon nomination at the BBC Folk Awards. Spotted by ?Peter Gabriel, Doonan went on to perform and tour extensively throughout the world with his ‘New Blood Orchestra’ and duetted with him on the iconic ‘Don’t Give Up’. More live work would follow with the singer songwriter Birdy which led to an acoustic recording of her song ‘Wings’ and the ?John Metcalfe Band have been enlisting her services in recent performances and also as a featured artist on the single ‘Wrapped’. The highlight of 2017 must have been her performance with Cold Plays’ Chris Martin, accompanying him on the piano for his ?George Michael tribute at The Brit Awards. Swing music has always been a passion of Rosie’s and as her ‘alter- ego’ Cissie Redgwick, her video of the self-penned ‘Gimme That Swing’ has recently taken the Internet by storm and indeed lead to her involvement in co-writing the music for ‘The Canary Girls’.