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).
Sugar Rhyme
Bonobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel it stimulate me
Bonobo's Sugar Rhyme opens with an ethereal synthesizer chord that sets a serene and mellow tone. However, the opening lines "Rhythm take me" signal something different. The percussive beat slowly builds up, becoming more complex with each passing moment. The lyrics "I feel it stimulate me" seem to suggest that the rhythm is taking control of the singer's body and mind. It becomes almost transcendental, channeling the eclecticism of different cultures and genres. The beat pierces through your soul, creating a surreal experience difficult to describe.
As the song progresses, the drums and bass become more prominent, blending with the sounds of horns, strings and synthesizers. It creates an ambiguity between the organic and synthetic, blurring the lines between them. The lyrics occasionally reappear, reminding the listener of the spellbinding spell that the rhythm has cast. In its totality, Sugar Rhyme feels like being controlled by a mystical, all-encompassing force - a beautiful, exhilarating experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Rhythm (...) take me
The beat and tempo of the music is so compelling that it takes control of me
I feel it stimulate me
The music creates a sensory experience that excites and energizes me
Contributed by Jasmine C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nassem
Animal Magic was and still is a sonic masterpiece from Bonobo. Tells the story from end to end of a mythical world, stuck in between the time of the dinosaurs and early man. As it sounds like, and feels like in my [mind's] eye, is a stellar narrative of herding beasts roving across wide plains, deep jungles, and wilds untamed, all seen from the eyes of the members of a primate [Bonobo's] troop at the dawn of Man. Maybe it's me or the weed, who knows, I love this album
Pro at mope
Amazing song. Crazy to believe that this is from the first album in 2000, more than 20 years ago
edleng69
This tune is ridiculously fucking swell.
ReFazhe
0:00
Deep Rhythm captivates me
Deep Rhythm captivates me
Deep Rhythm captivates me
Hot Rhythm Stimulates me
repeat
gorimor
Ohhh I thought it was "The rhythm navigates me"
JudgeDeadd
I thought it was "River dancing", but now can't unhear the real lyrics, huh.
Totter
very "late night car rides on long dark highways"
I feel like the Chet Faker's Gold music video would fit this very well
Tomo Leather
HO-LY shit you're right.
Brandon Turner
Seeing Bonobo on Youtube makes me have a little more respect for Youtube. Bonobo is an acquired taste, not for the pseudo hipster. It's pretty cool to see people support Bonobo. Audio Lotion is good too, check out "Jacuzzi Jazz". :-]
Charles Millard
Badass