Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
2006 Worldwide All Winners Album of the Year, April 23, 2007
Shortlisted as top 5 of 2006 by Gilles Peterson then chosen as the 2006 Worldwide All Winners Album of the Year by the audience, Bonobo's Days to Come album is easily the finest fusion of jazz and electro styles to hit the decks in the last year. But, credentials aside, let us now move on to particulars:
INTRO - This intentionally brief interlude makes a bold announcement of the intense soundscapes we are soon to visit. Basically, this album enters without subtlety, it's on and it wants everyone to know it.
DAYS ... - Having just thrilled us (albeit prematurely), we now transition into the groove that will set the mood for most of the album. Further, the newest development in the Bonobo sound-evolution springs itself on us: VOCALS and good ones at that. The inherently rythmic, molasses-sweet voice of Bajka (Poets of Rhythm) harkens us back to the days of Nina Simone while the playfully bouncing beat sweeps us along assuring us with brass and soothing our beast throughout with chimes seemingly being played by the wind itself.
BETWEEN ... - A sharp contrast to the previous track (and the rest of the album), this track is darker focusing its instrumental on enhancing the narrative vocals while the flute, gong, and creaking door-hinge type sound lend themselves to visions of ancient rituals. While there are movements in this track, the general motion seems to be an evolution towards an anticlimactic end.
THE FEVER - Back to the groove and damn is it kickin this time! Notice that the subtler sounds are starting to gain prominence. This arrangement is both beautiful and delicious in its delicate intricacies, layering simple piano-chord progressions over a complex beat before moving into the next movement during which we cannot fight the feeling that this is all starting to get very serious.
KETTO - Did someone say serious? Try mixing a deep, driving bass slam with a jewelry box before adding in some angelbaby-talk and a Brazilian cuckoo just in case. This is the second track to feature hand claps and in this instance they are vital to the timing/beat.
NIGHTLITE - Here it is, the track we've all been waiting for (some of us longer than others but hey " ... come, let's bring light to the night of day."). Such strings! Jazz organ! Guitar! Meaningful pauses, breaks!!! It's all about the burst of musical energy in the final movement " ... have they got problems of they own?"
TRANSMISSION94 1 & 2 - If Nightlite is to be the lyrically inspired crescendo of the album then Transmissions is it's instrumental counterpart. I love nothing more than to try and convince myself that the song is over half-way through, right before the second movement is heralded by the sax, then I realize I've forgotten all about the imminent cyclical breakdown which proceeds to shatter the sound-space continuum with it's brilliant sonic verbosity. As the horns chase spiraling flutes through the cosmos amidst the cymbals' crash I know what it is to return, to forever.
ON YOUR ... - What else are you going to put after Transmission? The throw-away track!
IF YOU ... - This track is a brilliant addition to the rare sub-genre started by (in my mind) Air's "Playground Love" off the Virgin Suicides soundtrack. This sub-genre is the antithesis of the unfortunately overpopulated high-school pop love song niche. A droning, subversive nocturne which exclaims the perverse implications common to all trysts. But what is this at the end? Redemption by reprise!
WALK IN ... - The "parkour theme". Vaguely reminiscent of Days to Come, this narrative acts as something of a bookend before the encore. Notice the cyclical theme that starts to develop/announce itself in this track only to be fully exploited in the next. As with several of the other tracks on this album, the arrangement is such that it only fully develops in the second major movement.
RECURRING - Q: What is recurring? A: Everything! The perfect end to a perfect day, progressively building upon itself to create an undeniable sense of movement, this piece is overflowing with nostalgia and the promise of, what else, Days to Come.
General notes: Instrument use and themes develop throughout the album track by track. Repeated listenings help us to make more sense of this well arranged progression. This album achieves something else worth noting: a sound that is both new and ancient all at the same time. These are the rhythms of something much greater than ourselves.
The second disc is undoubtedly a nod to the purists and those who didn't get enough instrumental lovin' on Bonobo's previous "Dial M ..." effort. What shouldn't be so surprising is how well these tracks work without vocals as the sounds have plenty to say on their own.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Silky Rhythmic Trip-Hop Seduction, March 14, 2007
"Days to Come" begins with a brief idyllic intro to get you into the mood of the music. Sweet flute mingles with nature sounds to hint at an outdoor location with tropical appeal. It sounds like someone is swimming in water and is talking in a cave near a beach. Bajka's soulful presence really starts this album off with her smooth silky vocals on the second track and by then you are in the mood of this sultry journey into imaginative lyrics and earthy elegance.
"Between the Lines" has a hopeful message of love and peace with an earth shattering style beat that keeps the rhythm moving right along into your day. It is such a fun energetic song, you might almost be sorry when it ends. Fortunately "The Fever" steps right up onto the stage and provides heavier urban rhythms with a tribal appeal. This vast expansive track melts into a fizzy bliss that then opens up immediately into "Ketto's" angelic strings that mix with a toy chest of sounds to bring about a sweeping ambience with fascinating hypnotic elements and sweet vocals layered with playful bouncy beats. This is a gorgeous heady track that ends with water dropping into a brass bowl.
This album keeps taking off into new worlds and "Nightlite" has a 70s tambourine style mixed with a slipping into the night gypsy ambience. "Transmission 94" is a party all on its own with saxophone and relentless percussion mingling with faint remembrances of ancient chants and a dash of electronic chaos. The music goes right through you and then turns silky with delicate strains of saxophone. Listening to "On Your Marks" on headphones makes the floor feel like it is vibrating.
"Sun slips into the island
Moon reaches for the stars
Music is the healer
no matter who you are"
~ Walk in the Sky
"Recurring" has exciting vibratory elements that send this track spinning into a musical ecstasy with deep reverberations and chimes blended effortlessly together into warm ancient and urban coalescence.
The second disc takes all the vocal tracks and turns them instrumental (except for "Nightlite" with a male vocal instead of Bajka) for your varied listening pleasure. In the end, you come away feeling like you have experienced an exotic electronica art form with a highly creative appeal. "Hatoa" concludes the adventure with a warm soothing downtempo dream. I think in the end, I love the first CD the most because of Bajka's vocals.
~The Rebecca Review
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
2006 Worldwide All Winners Album of the Year, March 9, 2007
Shortlisted as top 5 of 2006 by Gilles Peterson then chosen as the 2006 Worldwide All Winners Album of the Year by the audience, Bonobo's Days to Come album is easily the finest fusion of jazz and electro styles to hit the decks in the last year. But, credentials aside, let us now move on to particulars:
INTRO - This intentionally brief interlude makes a bold announcement of the intense soundscapes we are soon to visit. Basically, this album enters without subtlety, it's on and it wants everyone to know it.
DAYS ... - Having just thrilled us (albeit prematurely), we now transition into the groove that will set the mood for most of the album. Further, the newest development in the Bonobo sound-evolution springs itself on us: VOCALS and good ones at that. The inherently rythmic, molasses-sweet voice of Bajka (Poets of Rhythm) harkens us back to the days of Nina Simone while the playfully bouncing beat sweeps us along assuring us with brass and soothing our beast throughout with chimes seemingly being played by the wind itself.
BETWEEN ... - A sharp contrast to the previous track (and the rest of the album), this track is darker focusing its instrumental on enhancing the narrative vocals while the flute, gong, and creaking door-hinge type sound lend themselves to visions of ancient rituals. While there are movements in this track, the general motion seems to be an evolution towards an anticlimactic end.
THE FEVER - Back to the groove and damn is it kickin this time! Notice that the subtler sounds are starting to gain prominence. This arrangement is both beautiful and delicious in its delicate intricacies, layering simple piano-chord progressions over a complex beat before moving into the next movement during which we cannot fight the feeling that this is all starting to get very serious.
KETTO - Did someone say serious? Try mixing a deep, driving bass slam with a jewelry box before adding in some angelbaby-talk and a Brazilian cuckoo just in case. This is the second track to feature hand claps and in this instance they are vital to the timing/beat.
NIGHTLITE - Here it is, the track we've all been waiting for (some of us longer than others but hey " ... come, let's bring light to the night of day."). Such strings! Jazz organ! Guitar! Meaningful pauses, breaks!!! It's all about the burst of musical energy in the final movement " ... have they got problems of they own?"
TRANSMISSION94 1 & 2 - If Nightlite is to be the lyrically inspired crescendo of the album then Transmissions is it's instrumental counterpart. I love nothing more than to try and convince myself that the song is over half-way through, right before the second movement is heralded by the sax, then I realize I've forgotten all about the imminent cyclical breakdown which proceeds to shatter the sound-space continuum with it's brilliant sonic verbosity. As the horns chase spiraling flutes through the cosmos amidst the cymbals' crash I know what it is to return, to forever.
ON YOUR ... - What else are you going to put after Transmission? The throw-away track!
IF YOU ... - This track is a brilliant addition to the rare sub-genre started by (in my mind) Air's "Playground Love" off the Virgin Suicides soundtrack. This sub-genre is the antithesis of the unfortunately overpopulated high-school pop love song niche. A droning, subversive nocturne which exclaims the perverse implications common to all trysts. But what is this at the end? Redemption by reprise!
WALK IN ... - The "parkour theme". Vaguely reminiscent of Days to Come, this narrative acts as something of a bookend before the encore. Notice the cyclical theme that starts to develop/announce itself in this track only to be fully exploited in the next. As with several of the other tracks on this album, the arrangement is such that it only fully develops in the second major movement.
RECURRING - Q: What is recurring? A: Everything! The perfect end to a perfect day, progressively building upon itself to create an undeniable sense of movement, this piece is overflowing with nostalgia and the promise of, what else, Days to Come.
General notes: Instrument use and themes develop throughout the album track by track. Repeated listenings help us to make more sense of this well arranged progression. This album achieves something else worth noting: a sound that is both new and ancient all at the same time. These are the rhythms of something much greater than ourselves.
The second disc is undoubtedly a nod to the purists and those who didn't get enough instrumental lovin' on Bonobo's previous "Dial M ..." effort. What shouldn't be so surprising is how well these tracks work without vocals as the sounds have plenty to say on their own.
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