New album, new territory. Bonobo’s previous album may have cracked the code for mainstream appeal, but Migration is far from a complacent offering from Simon Green. Yes, it carries definite markers of Bonobo’s character: it embraces the cleaner textures of his later releases, while staying true to the home-made elements of his earliest defining work. But it’s also an exploratory album, broader, and one where he pushes further than ever outside of his own borders.

It's the most downtempo of his releases so far, and gives conflicting overall impressions. A definite sense of coldness runs across the electronic side of the album, but there are moments of natural instrumentation where it feels more composed than written – and in these moments it’s incredibly warm and emotionally accessible. While on the whole it’s slow and orchestral, some tracks have obviously been written aimed at club floors – not traditionally Bonobo’s forte, but it lends a variety to the album that is new for him.

Variety is the key word. The name Migration is a statement in itself, and hints at diasporic themes, probably a reflection of Bonobo’s new global lifestyle: while parts of it are quintessentially Bonobo, many songs are journeys through styles. In ‘Outlier’, he ranges into UKG, employing the crackle and shuffle that’s familiar from the 4am club afterparty, while ‘Figures’ touches on minimal dubstep. His choice of collaborators also drives the album to new boundaries: Rhye seems like a natural partner, building beautiful vocals and organic harp overlays on ‘Break Apart’. Nick Murphy, aka Chet Faker, guests for an extremely sensitive and soulful track that builds to a contrastingly dirty sub-bass no less than five minutes in. The most exciting inclusion is Innov Gnawa on ‘Bambro Koyo Ganda’, a Moroccan band who allow Bonobo to innovate in an entirely new arena. Crucially, unlike Black Sands’or The North Borders, each artist is invited into the mix only once, giving the album a less exclusive collaborative feel.

Several tracks are straight-up dance tunes: don’t be surprised to hear cuts of ‘Kerala’, ‘Bambro Koyo Ganda’ or even ‘7th Sevens’ played by discerning DJs. One major new difference in the more upbeat material is that, in contrast to tracks from Dial ‘M’ For Monkey, for example, they are less directed towards a climax, and more focused on finding and settling on a comfortable groove. For some listeners this may be an unwelcome development, but they can look towards more traditionally Bonobo styles elsewhere in the album: the bright sounding, natural piano of title track ‘Migration’, the flawless build and devastating release of ‘Second Sun’ and, although it pushes the envelope a little, the epic horns of ‘Ontario’.

Inevitably, it’s all beautifully mixed, combining real-life sounds and wonderfully clear studio samples. The average song length – many clock a full seven minutes – means that some meander, which in turn gives the album a wandering and sometimes unresolved feel, but this is probably intentional. The whole album expands outwards, being less focused than his earlier material – but as a result it’s more far-reaching, innovative in a new way: it’s a release that breathes fresh air into Bonobo’s repertoire.
Ben Noble

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