Prolific British musician Stephen Wilkinson offers up his 8th album under the Bibio moniker with A Mineral Love, and while his trademarked acoustic/electronic hybrid dream-pop sound is still in full effect, there is a curious funk undercurrent throughout this new record. Some of this sound certainly comes from Bibio's affection for American TV themes of decades past, which would often incorporate lite-funk vibes to convey a sense of musicality, excitement and contemporary awareness among their viewers. But his decision to avoid any sampling on A Mineral Love gives him an opportunity to control every sonic detail, which at times replicates the feeling of samples being used. It's a crafty trick that makes songs like "Feeling" sound both effortlessly retro and of-the-moment all at the same time. Vocal contributions from Gotye, Wax Stag & Olivier St. Louis lend some extra unexpected fun to the proceedings. All in all, any new Bibio is worth celebrating, and all the better when he stretches out a bit, as he does here.
1. Petals
2. A Mineral Love
3. Raxeira
4. Town & Country
5. Feeling
6. The Way You Talk (Feat. Gotye)
7. With the Thought of Us
8. Why So Serious? (Feat. Olivier St. Louis)
9. C'est La Vie
10. Wren Tails
11. Gasoline & Mirrors (Feat. Wax Stag)
12. Saint Thomas
13. Light Up the Sky