British musician, producer and DJ Simon Green (aka Bonobo), has been wowing us with his laid-back audio for years. His house-trip hop combination music is near impossible to dislike.
In fact Bonobo’s music is nothing but inspiring. Beat-driven, deliciously tension-filled, dropping at exactly the right moment in exactly the right way, Green does very little wrong when he puts together a new selection of music for his bulging fan base. An example? His LP Black Sands, originally released in 2010, has now been remixed into something so outrageously good it’s hard to put into words.
Featuring the musical prowess of names such as Floating Points, Banks and Mike Slott, Bonobo’s latest release is one for everyone but is especially appropriate in this current period of house revival. Opening with the aptly titled Prelude, the record coasts off to a comfortable and customary start. The next song will however, blow your mind. The Keeper is epic; building and building into an incredible musical climax. Indeed, every track on this album builds up gradually into an intense Bonobo-coloured musical soundscape.
Instrumental tracks such as Kiara hold their own, while chilled house-driven sounds such as in Eyes Down, blend the Bonobo sound perfectly with that of Floating Points. To add to this perfect merger, intensely beautiful husky female vocals pepper the record.
In contrast, the ARP remix of Eyes Down has a completely different sound, showing the diversity of the album and even throwing out some possible grime-undertones. Bringing in an inspiring DJ-Shadow style track, that undeniable Bonobo sound is most prevalent in the track Ghost Ship. The Mark Pritchard remix of Stay the same features the original haunting vocals, which linger long after you’ve finished listening, but are now accompanied by echoing brass, however in my opinion, this remix is blown out of the water by the Blue Daisy version a few tracks later.
The layered-trifle effect of every track is something that defines this album as both vintage Bonobo, but also remixed Bonobo. A listener can tell that it has been altered, and this is what makes it so powerful. You feel as though you are listening to something completely new, at the same time as taking comfort that everyone already knows and loves the original record.
Intelligently crafted and expertly chosen remixes ensure that Bonobo fans won’t feel cheated out of their lust for new brand new material. Ending the album is Black Sands, remixed by Duke Dumont, and a perfect ending it is; incredibly atmospheric and once again, haunting. Give 'Black Sands Remixed' a listen, even if you think Bonobo isn’t your cup of tea, we guarantee you’ll find at least one track that you will absolutely fall in love with.
"Black Sands Remixed" is out February 13th onNinja Tune.
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Review - Joss Meek
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Posted 3rd February by Livemusic Team
