With the experimental warmth of ’60s French films and the pizzicato flavor of horizontal hip-hop, Simon Green‘s Bonobo project established the welcome niche of a pretension-free, post-party intellectual chillout upon the release of his full-length debut in 2000. Since then, his sound and scope have expanded dramatically, with his sophisticated compositions and arrangements incorporating live instrumentation and encompassing influences ranging from jazz, house, folk, and soul to African, Asian, and Middle Eastern styles of music. While Green often tours solo as a DJ, he established a live touring ensemble in 2004, performing highly orchestrated versions of his songs to immense audiences, including several sold-out headlining gigs as well as main stage performances at festivals such as Coachella and Glastonbury.
An almost silent figure among Ibizian romanticists, Greenbegan in Brighton, debuting in 1999 with a track on Tru Thoughts Recordings’ When Shapes Join Together compilation. Though tempted by offers from Mute and XL after the official issue of the Scuba EP and the “Terrapin” single, Green stuck with Tru Thoughts for the acclaimed debut LP Animal Magic (2000). Highlighted by downtempo dub, funk, and an equally likable use of sitars, Animal Magic was an obvious success and plans were quickly made for careful European support appearances. In 2002, Tru Thoughts issued One Offs: Remixes & B Sides, compiling tracks from various limited vinyl releases as well as Bonobo‘s remixes for artists such as Amon Tobin and Pilote.
Having signed to Coldcut‘s Ninja Tune label in 2001, Bonoboworked diligently on his sophomore album, Dial “M” for Monkey, which arrived in 2003. A tour to support the record followed and was documented on the 2005 EP Live Sessions, which featured a Four Tet remix of the previous album’s single “Pick Up.” Bonobo‘s first mix CD, It Came from the Sea, was released in 2005 as part of Ninja Tune’s Solid Steel series. Days to Come, Bonobo‘s third album, appeared in 2006, and was markedly less electronic than his previous work, with much more of a jazz influence and spotlighting the slinky vocals of India-born vocalist Bajka, as well as one song featuring Ninja Tune artist Fink. BBC Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson‘s audience voted Days to Come Album of the Year, and media interest in Bonobo grew exponentially, with his tracks frequently being featured in films, television programs and commercials, and video games ever since.
A performance DVD, Live at Koko, appeared in 2009, followed by the release of single “The Keeper,” which introduced the world to the vocal talents of honey-voiced British soul singer Andreya Triana. The full-length Black Sands followed in 2010, featuring Triana on two more excellent singles, “Eyesdown” and “Stay the Same,” the former of which was driven by a shuffling U.K. garage-style beat, updating Bonobo‘s sound for the post-dubstep era and introducing his sound to new audiences. Green produced Triana‘s debut full-length Lost Where I Belong, which Ninja Tune also released in 2010. Black Sands Remixed appeared in 2012, featuring reworks by Lapalux, FaltyDL, Machinedrum, and many others, as well as a couple of non-album tracks.
The North Borders, Bonobo‘s fifth full-length album, arrived in 2013, featuring R&B singer Erykah Badu among its guests. The album was Bonobo‘s most well-received work to date, charting in the Top 30 of the U.K. album chart and kickstarting a wildly successful international tour. By the end of 2013, Green contributed to the LateNightTales mix series, which featured Bonobo‘s cover of Donovan‘s “Get Thy Bearings.” The North Borders Tour: Live appeared on Ninja Tune in 2014, documenting the Bonobo live experience aurally as well as visually. During the same year, Bonobo released two EPs, Flashlight and Ten Tigers, which continued to explore his dancefloor-friendly side. Studio album Migration appeared in early 2017; the full-length featured guest appearances from Rhye, Nick Murphy (formerly known as Chet Faker), and Moroccan group Innov Gnawa.
US TOUR DATES
6/1 @ Brooklyn Mirage – New York, NY
