Innocence

Innocence was a pivotal British urban soul project of the early 1990s, primarily a collaboration between vocalist Gee Morris and the production team Anna Mamba (including Mark 'The 45 King' and others). Their sound served as a crucial bridge between the sophisticated soul of the late 80s and the emerging trip-hop and downtempo movements.

Their debut album, 'Belief' (1990), was a critical and commercial success, defined by its use of heavy sampling, particularly the Pink Floyd 'One of These Days' bassline in 'Natural Thing'. This fusion of rock samples with R&B sensibilities predated the massive success of artists like Enigma and Massive Attack. The follow-up, 'Build' (1992), pushed further into ambient territories, sacrificing pop hooks for immersive sonic environments. Though the group disbanded shortly after, their influence persists in the lineage of 'sophisti-pop' and the more atmospheric branches of neo-soul. Critical consensus highlights Gee Morris's understated vocal style as a precursor to the 'cool' vocal delivery that would dominate 90s electronic music.