Bonobo: The North Borders

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.

-Eric J. Lawrence

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