Search - Bonobo :: Black Sands

Good album but a definite step in a different direction.

Trand Seymour | Kalispell, MT USA | 03/23/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is good, dont get me wrong. But if your going to buy this album in hopes of the same majesty, beauty and ethnic intricacy that 'Days to Come' had you MAY (note i say MAY) be a little disappointed. All of these songs are good but there are a few songs (namely in the very beginning) that stray away from the path that the majority of the music Simon Green (aka: Bonobo) has put out in the past. It's almost like hearing alot of music under Simons other alias Barakas (ie: solid bass filled almost dancefloor tracks). The production as usual is crisp, clean and perfected. The strings are good, the beats are progressive and get your head nodding and the few tracks that feature the lovely vocals of Andreya Triana are exquisite. But i almost wish that instead of putting 'The Keeper' out as the single off the album (which is arguably one of the best tracks on the album) he had put out one of the more run-of-the-muck tracks on there so we could have been more excited.



Over all I give this album 4 stars because its next to impossible to live up to the standards Simon Green set when he put out his masterpiece 'Days to Come'. If your a first time Bonobo listener pick up any of his first albums (Animal Magic, Dial M for Monkey or Days to Come). If your an avid fan, pick this album up, you'll still enjoy it very much, especially the tracks with Andreya Triana. After all, we cant just ignore this shinning artists progression through production, he is the best!



Also keep an eye out for Ms. Andreya Trianas debut album that will be put out by Ninja Tune as well and produced by Bonobo himself as well as the guitar influences of the main man Fink! Can't wait for that one!!!"

Smooth jazz for robots

Bluejack | Seattle, WA | 04/19/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Bonobo is a master of what in theory I consider the highest form of what we loosely call electronica. He fuses synthesized sounds with found sounds and traditional instruments, forming a rich, multi-layered texture of sound.



In Black Sands this mastery is on display from the outset as "Prelude" opens with a haunting melody on piano, violin, some asian-sounding instrument, and the faintest hints of electronic ornamentation. This deftly transitions into a fully altered variation in "Kiara." It signals that this guy knows what he's doing.



Unfortunately for me, I don't much care for where he takes it.



It is undoubtedly a failing on the part of your reviewer, but this struck me as new age elevator music for a new generation. As skillful as the craftsmanship is, the effect is so mellow that I can only call it boring. The textures are deft, but unmemorable. The melodic moments are elegantly executed, but completely uninteresting.



Bonobo draws on a great number of traditions and styles to create a marvelously soothing experience... but that's not what I go to my electronica collection for.



I picked this album up because I suddenly ran into it everywhere I went, and figured it must be some conspiracy on the part of the universe, but actually, I guess it's just good marketing. I am sure music this competent will find its true listenership, but if there's a spectrum of inventive, creative, multi-textured

electronica incorporating diverse musical traditions, sounds, and instruments, then Bonobo is at one end of it, and I'm at the other.

"

Not quite as memorable as "Animal Magic", but it'll do for a

Aaron A. Rose | 03/31/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's been said that it's hard to rely on artists to release what is essentially the same album over and over again, yet still maintain a sense of evolving direction and also a fresh set of ideas. This is why it's rather refreshing to hear Bonobo's newest effort "Black Sands" mix up the well-known directly instrumental approach with something more subdued and fluid.



Thankfully, Bonobo's trademark downtempo sound is still here, as are his well-crafted jazzy, almost Brazilian-esque lounge-ified melodies. Songs such as "Animals" and "El Toro" reflect the more upbeat rhythms as were heard in songs like "Pick Up", off "Dial M for Monkey"; yet there is a strikingly distinct other side to the album right from the get-go in the form of the decidedly modern instrumental hip-hop affair that is "Kiara". It is advised, should any person familiar with Bonobo's previous works hearing this track for the first time, to try and reserve passing judgment on the album solely based off of this song alone. One could even go as far as to say that if someone were to hear this, it would be easy to mistake it for another artist altogether. On the other hand, the return of vocalist Andreya Triana is a pleasant addition to this record, as her sultry, butter-smooth tone finds itself to be a perfect companion to the soothing compositions herein.



On the (slight) downside, there aren't as many direct standout tracks on this CD that will hit the listener upon first listen, such was the case for this reviewer with "Terrapin" and "Dinosaurs" off the album "Animal Magic". "Black Sands" definitely demands a bit more attentiveness should the listener wish to find that certain something that will resonate infinitely within themselves, calling them back to that first, shining moment on a repeatedly consecutive basis. "Black Sands" certainly requires more direct attention upon the first go around, as there are a lot more subtleties that can be easily overlooked should the initial listen be a cursory one. Give it a second (or even third) spin however, and it's most certainly safe to say that one could have no problem placing this in the background for any occasion. After repeated listens, this reviewer can safely say that "Black Sands" deserves a top spot in any music fans' collection -- let alone at the top of any die hard Bonobo fan's list as well.



Verdict: Buy it!"