Bonobo's first album - 2000's Animal Magic - was released via Tru Thoughts before being picked up by Ninja Tune. It announced him as a serious talent; able to bring a musician's edge to electronic music, with all the freedom that skill allowed. His subsequent albums for Ninja, Dial 'M' for Monkey and Days to Come, developed his sensibility, won him fans across the globe, and saw him develop his live show into a mesmeric re-working of his records.
He has also worked hard as a DJ, a part of Green's arsenal that perhaps truly came into its own at the same time as 2010’s Black Sands. 2012 saw him take the uptempo, club re-edits of Black Sands from a seminal Boiler Room performance in London to dance floors across the world, and unveil a new light show that further enhanced the impact of these stunning songs. A remix album was released featuring reworkings by fans and peers such as Machinedrum, Floating Points, Mark Pritchard, Lapalux and FaltyDL.
Later the same year, he finally settled down in his New York studio to write his fifth album. The North Borders was another long stride forward - both a natural evolution and a continuation of the electronic palette of Black Sands. With vocal features from Erykah Badu, as well as Grey Reverend (The Cinematic Orchestra) and Cornelia (Portico Quartet) it's another finely balanced body of work.
Bonobo has a long history of unearthing new talent (Andreya Triana, Bajka) and The North Borders saw him do so once again. The vocals of new collaborator Szjerdene are sprinkled across the album.
Since the album’s release, Green has gone on to play over 175 shows across three continents and 30 countries, wowing audiences with the hypnotic, extended live versions of his songs. He performed sold out shows at The Sydney Opera House and Brixton Academy, and his very own, day long festival at London’s Roundhouse. 2014 saw him and his band play the iconic Coachella, Sonar, Glastonbury and many more. This period of extensive touring came to a breathtaking close with his largest show to date at London’s Alexandra Palace in November. In celebration, Ninja Tune released The North Borders Tour. — Live. in October. A deluxe release including a live album, hardback book and a DVD of seminal live performances from a truly memorable tour.
In January 2016, Bonobo announced on Twitter that he intended to release a new album sometime in 2016. Bonobo released his sixth album, Migration, on 13 January 2017 via Ninja Tune. It was announced on 3 November 2016 with the release of the single "Kerala", and an official video. The album features Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Rhye, Innov Gnawa and Nicole Miglis (Hundred Waters).
Bambro Koyo Ganda
Bonobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Bonobo's song Bambro Koyo Ganda are primarily in an unidentified African dialect, with some English words thrown in towards the end. The title itself is a combination of three words, "Bambro" meaning "leave-taking" in Arabic, "Koyo" meaning "Come here" in Japanese, and "Ganda" meaning "family" in Ugandan. The overall message of the song is one of community and togetherness, and it's meant to be a celebration of the many forms that family can take.
The song's opening refrain, "Bambro, koyo ganda," is repeated throughout the track, with each repetition building in intensity and complexity. For Bonobo, this reflects the way that communities can grow and evolve over time, with each member bringing something unique to the table. As the song progresses, there are vocal samples from a choir and a children's choir, adding to the sense of joyful, spontaneous collaboration.
The English lyrics towards the end of the song speak to the power of music to bring people together and bridge cultural divides. "We are all light, we are all one, we are space, we are time," sings the featured vocalist Innov Gnawa. This idea of transcending boundaries through music is at the core of Bonobo's work, and it's certainly evident in this track.
Line by Line Meaning
Bambro, koyo ganda
Bambro, the tides of life that ebb and flow
Bambro, koyo ganda
The interconnectedness of all things, the give-and-take of existence
Bambro, koyo ganda
The cyclical nature of the universe and the forces that drive it
Bambro, koyo ganda
The weaving together of disparate elements to create a whole
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Simon Charles Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gauravpatel7887
LYRIC: Now you know what to humm!!!
Wayeh bladi gnawa [?]
Wayeh bladi bambra [?]
[?] saha koyo, a Bablyé Dayem Allah
Wayeh koyo ganda [?]
[?] saha koyo, a Bablyé Dayem Allah
[?] koyo ganda [?]
[?] koyo ganda [?]
A yeh ya wayeh, ya wayeh
Oh yeh ya wayeh, wa hyana Dayem Allah
A yeh ya wayeh, ya wayeh
Oh yeh ya wayeh, bladi Soudan a baba yeh
A yeh ya wayeh, ya wayeh
Oh yeh ya wayeh, wa hyana Dayem Allah
A yeh ya wayeh, ya wayeh
Oh yeh ya wayeh, bladi Soudan a baba yeh.
@GUSSS15
I was traveling in India two weeks ago and Migration was one of my favorite albums to listen to as I mingled with the environment. Get lost in the crowded streets, get around the traffic, see the landscape lost through the train windows or see the city get away from your feet when taking off your plane while listening to songs like this was a real treat. Take this album with you on your next trip.
@aesaabu3499
Agu Luque have been to kerala/hear kerala
@GUSSS15
I just saw part of the north: Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Delhi, Varanasi. Hope to come back soon and so much time to see the rest of this amazing country!
@ranminisce
absolutely agree!
@geekdivaherself
+Agu Luque - Very eloquently said. Inspiring and evocative, even. Thank you.
@chickmongoose
I am from India and I listen to this when I travel :)
@lori786
That drop, with the visuals <3 the whole video is a masterpiece
@tom360man
ikr x
@TheUndershah
drop was insane!!!
@TheNathanmnelson
The drop is WOAH!!. I can't stop replaying. Love this group feels that. It's a feeling we get -an emotion. So receive.