Many have already bought it but I felt like it was still necessary to stream the Bonobo LP, I’d love YOUR thoughts on this one.
UK producer Simon Green, who works under the moniker of Bonobo, is an artist tailor-made for KCRW. He is a master of downtempo, silky-smooth trip-hop, a sound that the station has savored for decades. He’s a bassist who knows the value of a solidly built spine to drape his smart electronic touches upon. And he’s a savvy judge of talent, having recently helped singer/songwriter Andreya Triana with her debut album and featuring her on his own records.
With The North Borders, his 5th full-length album, Bonobo demonstrates all of these skills in one nicely rewarding package. Effortlessly groovy, but just as much elegant and sweeping, the album features a series of talented vocal guests, including the incomparable Erykah Badu on one of the album’s highlights, “Heaven for the Sinner,” as well as some fairly recent UK newcomers Grey Reverend & Szjerdene, not to forget hotly-tipped Swedish songstress Cornelia. It’s a seductive package that has already been a Top 10 charting record, proving that over ten years since his debut Green still hasn’t lost his touch.
Track List
1. First Fires (Featuring Grey Reverend)
2. Emkay
3. Cirrus
4. Heaven For The Sinner (Featuring Erykah Badu)
5. Sapphire
6. Jets
7. Towers (Featuring Szjerdene)
8. Don’t Wait
9. Know You
10. Antenna
11. Ten Tigers
12. Transits (Featuring Szjerdene)
13. Pieces
via KCRW
I’m surprised I’m not more in love with it than I am. I’m actually finding more interest in the new Lapalux, who shares the same label (Ninjatune).
@TODD gotcha, yeah that Lapalux LP is soo damn good
Many of his albums take a few listens until they really sink in – once you notice all those little nuances he sprinkles throughout I feel the songs have a stronger ‘flavor’. With this album, after the first listen he still has my interest – but I can’t say that I’ve loved any of his works since Animal Magic or Dial ‘M’ for Monkey. Those albums changed music for me. Days to Come had some great tunes, but Black Sands sounded like a different beast entirely.
Not feeling the tracks with vocals yet. really digging “Antenna”.
I think what threw me first listen as compared to Black Sands is the lack of the “band” feeling. I absolutely love the live renditions of his stuff, and I felt that there was a lot of tracks on Black Sands that had that kind of vibe to them. He defiantly returned to all electronic style for this album which isnt bad, but I was looking forward to more of the “band” feel. Still giving it a few more spins before I can fully dive into a legit review. So far I think Sapphire is one of my favorites.
.. I so, SO badly wanted to fall in love with this, but, alas. A week of listening and still, nothing.
yeah cant say that im in love with it. theres a few tracks i like but nothing hooking me entirely in. i like jets, ten tigers and cirrus.
its definitely much more hip hoppy than his last albums.
That album art is hypnotizing. Beautiful.
I have been in love with this album lately. It has been such good music to design to. Helps me zone in and forget about the time I’m spending.
I agree with Joe, the last album had a better grab, however. Thanks for posting it!
Definitely liking the video for ‘Cirrus’ http://youtu.be/WF34N4gJAKE
Can’t say i share the same dislike for this album as a lot of folks…first impression thru 1 listen – immediately more enjoyable than Black Sands, less cinematic and more restrained than early work, the vocal tracks are better than I expected. Overall its refined, programmed well, more cohesive and relevant than Black Sands was upon release. I really like…
@ANTHONY, I definitely agree with you. Most of the songs have much more of an electronic feel to them in comparison to the band feel of Black Sands. I have only listened to the full album a couple of times but so far so good. I think I’ll have to give it a test on a road trip. Standout tracks for me would have to be Don’t wait, and Sapphire, which was played in a the bonobo boiler room set early last year (15.01): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jW-ItsXazM
Could i get an artwork credit pretty please 🙂 ~ thanks
http://leifpodhajsky.com/BONOBO-THE-NORTH-BORDERS
I really loved Black Sands and so it was hard to top it. (I also really liked Animal Magic but was truly enjoying the new direction) I wasn’t feeling the songs with vocals as much either. Right off the bat Jets (which sounds a lot like letherette to me) really grabbed me and Antenna. But with subsequent listenings and few others have caught my ear. It isn’t working for me as much as black sands did but I’m hearing more that I like with repeated listenings. I’m kind of enjoying the hip hop feel actually its where I feel the album is most successful.