NEWS
EVENTS
Bonobo: The North Borders - Album Review
Monday 15th April 2013 | Alex
It's been three years since Bonobo's breakthrough fourth album Black Sands, and, apart from the Black Sands Remixed release the year following, things have been relatively quiet production-wise for Bonobo, leading to huge anticipation for his fifth, and possibly best, record to date.
Still retaining the quirky elements of earlier releases, the flutes samples and luscious string orchestrations, Simon Green (Bonobo) has brought a more mature, and fuller sound to his work. The serene instrumental work on this record is nothing short of outstanding; 'Cirrus', the first single from the release, builds from a hypnotic pitched percussion line to a great expanse of textures, returning once again to this line to finish - a full journey through sound in just under six minutes.
With notably more collaborations than its predecessors, these are not to its detriment; the opening track 'First Fires' features a strong guest vocal from Green Reverend, 'Pieces' featuring Cornelia - who previously worked with Portcio Quartet on 'Steepless'. The highlight of the whole record is the beautiful 'Heaven for the Sinner' with the indomitable Erykah Badu bringing her own flair to a fantastic FlyLo-esque lurching hip hop beat, which still retains Bonobo's own charm.
There are also moments on the record where Bonobo takes it up a level, 'Emkay' being the closest you'll get to an all out dance track - a great sample and a pulsing rhythm out of Burial's book, the vibes abound. This delicate and impressive use of sampling can be heard on later tracks as well, on 'Jets' manipulating just one vocal exclaim to bring one of the funkiest, and prettiest, tracks of the year so far.
A culmination of such rich, textural backgrounds, well-chosen guest collaborations, and the inimitable charm of Bonobo - so entrenched in his earlier work, but even further developed here - The North Borders stands high and above anything in a similar vein to have been unveiled in 2013, and with a string of festival appearances this summer, Bonobo seems set to firmly cement himself as one of the greatest and most talked about producers of the past 10 years.
Alex de Lacey
@delaceymusic
