Bonobo - Nightlite / Recurring / If You Stayed Over
Posted on Monday 14 August 2006, 16:41 - updated on 14/04/09 - Music News - Permalink
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Bonobo - Nightlite / Recurring / If You Stayed Over
(7") Ninja Tune ZEN7189, 2006-08-14
Review :
Whoo! What an incredible single that isn't one!! After listening to it quite a few times, I must confess I can't see this as a "single" in the original pop meaning of the term. All 3 tracks are gorgeous, but rather than going for some radio-friendly structures, chords and arrangements, Bonobo's opted for some swinging soul beat with melancolic violins, guitar and piano ("Nightlite"), with rising singer Bajka on vocals, who recently appeared on a series of impressive Ubiquity, Jazzman and Compost Records recent releases! That's splendid and should appeal to all kinds of "chillout" and "nu-something" compilations... hey, but that's a business model, ain't it? Release a digital single/limited seven inch, and have it licensed everywhere!
"B-sides" come in pair, with a big chunk of his trademark organic downtempo electronica ("Recurring"), and a slow bluesy ungroover ("If You Stayed Over"), reminiscent of Josh Haden's Spain band -without the minimalism-, and featuring label mate Fink on vocals. Always epic, those three numbers let us expect one hell of a big big album for Bonobo, and some not-to-be-missed live dates with full band (and Bajka on a few dates) before the end of the year. The album, titled "Days To Come", is to be released on... what??? October 2nd?! Oh, I get it: it's a christmas present.
Put it on your list.
Djouls
Tracklisting :
01. Nightlite (feat Bajka)
02. Recurring
03. If You Stayed Over
Promo CD artwork :
Press Release :
Bonobo's third album, Days To Come, is due in October and is his best album yet.
The three songs here show in all its glory the varied, yet entirely coherent sound that Bonobo has made his own. 'Nightlite' features the unique, indefinable voice of Bajka (pronounced Biker). Bajka grew up as part of a travelling music commune called Embryo in places such as Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan. Now based in Germany she has released records on labels such as Ubiquity, Jazzman and Compost A massive and varied talent, here her soft-to-sharp vocals sit perfectly over a trademark falling chord change.
'Recurring' displays Simon Green's odd talent for simultaneously defamiliarising and reassuring listeners, welding together disparate sounds that never let the attention waver. Finally, album highlight 'If You Stayed Over' showcases the inspired pairing of Bonobo with fellow Ninja artist Fink. The song's wrenching vocals, Eleanor Rigby strings and ultra-sharp, blues sensibility add up to something very lovely indeed.
There you have it, a mouthwatering taster for a career-best album. Look out for Bonobo, and his new live show (including Bajka on selected dates) bigger and better than ever this coming Autumn.
