Bonobo charts a new course
Electronica artist offers welcome change of pace
Don’t look now, but Bonobo is officially a hipster. The British electronica artist, born Simon Green, has been making funky chillout music (a term he hates) for more than a decade on U.K. beat label Ninja Tune. But for the past three years, he has made his home in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The move coincided with the release of Bonobo’s 2010 breakthrough album, Black Sands, which has sold 145,000 copies worldwide — big numbers for a guy who, while boasting a fiercely devoted following, has always been outside the mainstream.
Asked how life in the Big Apple’s trendiest hood affected the sound of his new album, The North Borders, Green had a simple answer: It didn’t.
“My friends said, before I left (England), that they thought I’d make my London album in New York,” he said, “and they were right. I think there’s a strong strain of London bass sounds going through this record. It’s what I’m interested in musically — post-garage kind of stuff.
“There’s still a traditional love of hip hop, but I’m trying different things, pushing to make my music more relevant and contemporary. I’m moving away from familiar territory, away from jazzy downtempo sounds to go somewhere new.”
Longtime fans of Bonobo’s bliss- fully ambient grooves needn’t worry. The North Borders is as soothing a listen as anything he has produced, but it’s also a welcome change of pace. Tempos and rhythms are stepped up with a fresh sense of adventure, without sacrificing the feel-good vibes he is known for.
It’s a nifty trick — the combination of clubby beats with ethereal textures, languorous chord progressions and soulful guest vocals.
“It’s mellow music, isn’t it?” Green said. “But it’s emotive. I use music as escapism. It’s my meditation. Some people have things that keep their mind focused; for me, it’s music. It’s therapeutic to be doing this kind of thing.”
While his performances have long included an array of live musicians, Green prefers to work alone during the creation process. The North Borders was recorded in the bedroom of his Brooklyn apartment — “me and a pair of headphones at four in the morning,” he said.
“It was mostly done on computer. I have a bunch of synthesizers. I did the string sections and harp stuff in London, but recorded the guitars and synths myself (in New York). The drums (include) me scrunching bottles and ripping paper — a lot of external stuff. Everything coming in is from somewhere else.”
Among the guest vocalists is American R&B diva Erykah Badu, who lends her inimitable coo to the trippy, strings- and harp-embellished Heaven for the Sinner. Opening the album is Brooklyn singer Grey Reverend (known for his work with the Cinematic Orchestra), on the enchantingly murky First Fires; willowy newcomer Szjerdene breezes through two tracks, Towers and Transits.
Green was in transit when he came up with the album title.
“I like the way it’s nicely ambiguous,” he said. “It came to me on a flight from New York to London. We were going over the northern territories in Canada, which I know nothing about. I started to imagine people down there, doing stuff. It conjured this ‘last outpost of humanity’ kind of imagery, which I found very romantic.”
Yeah, yeah, we all live in igloos up here. But I know better than to question Green’s notions of Canadian life.
He has been to our city several times, playing the Montreal International Jazz Festival on more than one occasion, and drawing large crowds every time. Tuesday’s show at the Telus Theatre has been sold out for more than a month.
“I love Montreal,” he said. “I think there’s a real connection there. Ninja Tune’s North American office is there, so it’s been a base for the label for a long time. It’s like coming home. It’s one of my favourite cities. I love the attitude. It’s a French Canadian city with brutal winters and hot summers, so there’s a polarizing thing that makes it special.”
Maybe that’s why Montreal loves Bonobo — he has a way of fusing extremes into a mellifluous middle ground where everything fits together just so. Which isn’t to say he plays it safe. Au contraire — Green continually explores new sonic territory, never losing his identity.
That curiosity has allowed him to steadily build his global following during the past 12 years, while other electro artists have come and gone.
“For some reason, people connect with my music,” he said, musing that his sense of adventure may be what has kept him relevant.
“I’m not afraid to embrace new styles. I’m still excited about new music, what’s happening now, rather than trying to cling to this one very specific sound that has worked for me. I like to push things forward.”
Bonobo performs Tuesday at 9 p.m. at the Telus Theatre, 1280 St. Denis St. The show is sold out.