Before delving into this edition of the Anotherlatenight series, a disclaimer would be just and fair:

If you couldn't tell, I really, really freaking loved the last installment with Rae & Christian. And so, Zero 7's idea of a wind-down from a long night of clubbing was going to be held up to some skyscraper-like standards. The duo of Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns had some very large shoes to fill. Not to mention that I hadn't grabbed onto Simple Things, Zero 7's previous artist album, alongside everyone else, partially because I hadn't actively looked for it.

With that in mind, I listened to it. I felt a little let down. So I put it off to the side for a while. I sat on it. I committed the sin that every music reviewer isn't (ideally) supposed to do. But then I came back to it; the results were very, very positive, unless you hate hip-hop. In that case, click back and read someone else's review. There is no hope for you, and this is about all you could care to tolerate.

The first cut, Yesterday's New Quintet's "Sunrays," has all of the bump and panache of R&C's strongly hip-hop influenced effort. It segues beautifully into Quasimoto's "Real Eyes," which, with its flute samples and deep bassline, is a straight up hip-hop punch in the mouth. Are the lyrics as important as the groove? Hmm...maybe. Quasi's vocals are a bit odd if you're not familiar with the sound, but the beat is so melodic that it's all I'm hearing. Anotherlatenight then bleeds into the instrumental of Roots Manuva's "Witness," which I can only describe as hip-hop produced by a couple of cats who listened to a lot of dub and NYC underground beats, a la Pete Rock and Primo. If the last cut was a punch in the mouth, then this one is a rough, bassy, two-finger strike to the throat.

As for Slum Village's "Jealousy," what can be said about Slum Village that you haven't heard since the debut album in 2000? It's a good selection that goes with the jazzy, melodic influence permeating the first few cuts of the CD. And then they break out Souls of Mischief. Maybe it's my Oakland roots coming out, but it was a "Hell yeah" moment. Other highlights include Da Lata's heavily Latin-influenced "Pra Manha" and "Shawn Lee's "Happiness" (last heard on Vikter Duplaix's DJ-Kicks CD). Sylvia Striplin's "You Can't Turn Me Away" will have you waving your hands and singing Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Get Money," until you realize a Biggie vocal snippet isn't coming into the fold. Next up, Herbert reworks Serge Gainsbourg's "Bonnie & Clyde" and turns it into a deep house workout.

A trademark of this series tends to come with a cover of a classic cut. On the last Anotherlatenight, Rae & Christian took us there with "Flashlight." The Zero 7 lads bring us a reinterpretation of Johnny Osbourne's "Truth and Rights." It segues beautifully into a closeout with the Stylistics' "People Make the World Go 'Round."

All in all, this is another eclectic selection from Kinetic's finely growing collection of off-the-wall late night tunes. While not as much of an "all on hip-hop banger" as the last album of the series, Zero 7's effort has a funny way of assimilating itself to the ear. Surely it will be a staple of CD playlists worldwide.

• Read the feature Vikter Duplaix
• Read the review on Rae & Christian
• Read the review on DJ-Kicks

Anotherlatenight
Compiled and mixed by Zero 7
Track Listing:

1. Sunrays - Yesterday's New Quintet
2. Real Eyes - Quasimoto
3. Witness - Roots Manuva
4. Jealousy - Roots Manuva
5. Channel 1 Suite - Cinematic Orchestra
6. Christine Bonilla - Joy Zipper
7. Ghost Ship In A Storm - Jim O'Rourke
8. 93 'Til Infinity - Souls Of Mischief
9. Pra Manha - Da Lata
10. Bonny & Clyde - Serge Gainsbourg
11. Happiness - Shawn Lee
12. You Can't Turn Me Away - Sylvia Striplin
13. Loving You, Holding You - Don Blackman
14. Cool Out - Leroy Hudson
15. Truth & Rights - Zero 7
16. People Make The World Go Round - The Stylistics