Simon Green contemplating life. Mysterious, like his music.

Bonobo is testament to the fact that the sci-fi synthetic sounds created by money-whoring artists who dominate the charts today should, and surely will, realise the errors of their ways. The British producer’s fifth album, North Borders delivers Simon Green’s (a.k.a. Bonobo) organic take on down-tempo, easy listening music. What could almost be perceived as an extension to the Black Sands album, North Borders subtlety seduces the listener into a musically induced trance, especially through tracks such as Cirrus and Emkay. In line with the Bonobo philosophy that electronic music doesn’t necessarily have to be electronically composed, North Borders demonstrates Bonobo’s ability to create an intoxicatingly organic sound…especially when live.

This was a performance that has heightened my adoration of the album. A live band that can create a chain of sounds that beautifully intoxicate the listener can only be applauded. Opening with ‘Cirrus’, tracks from Black Sands and North Borders intertwined portraying the development of Simon Green’s visionary music. The luscious voice of Szerdene made the difficult task of taking electronica from a studio to a live stage seem easy; Bonobo’s only point of call were the instrument they were playing live on stage.

This gig demonstrated why Bonobo is one of the most respected and talented musical artist and producer in the world of electronica today. The perfected sounds of the album in studio form were effortlessly transgressed onto a live stage along with an electronic atmosphere and relatively cheap drinks! What more could you ask for?

8/10