At this point in Simon Green’s career as our beloved Bonobo, I am convinced that this human can do no wrong. Migration, as an album, strays away from Bonobo’s servitude to the dance floor, and is a compilation of what seems to be more explorative and mature content. Reminiscent of BADBADNOTGOOD, Four Tet, and even newer Gold Panda, aspects of unfamiliarity add a new twist to Bonobo’s otherwise soft piano and guitar sounds. Well layered, I noticed a growing texture of sound in nearly every track and it kept me interested where the bass lines may not have.

Different than previous albums, a heavier pop influence is apparent on this album with features such as Rhye, Nicole Miglis, and Nick Murphy, but Bonobo seems to find a natural balance with soft, ethereal sounding “Second Sun”, the worldly trance of “Bambro Koyo Ganda”, and the R & B groove of “Kerala”.

“Outlier”, holy heavens, takes a turn for the upbeat in the simplest way, and won my heart immediately. Simple downtempo drums, layered over a mixture of ethereal and cosmic sounds, with a steady buildup that makes it hard to stop moving. “Outlier” feels like a familiar house anthem, neutralized by classic Bonobo’s soft instrumental strums, and it feels damn good.

Every album needs a banger, so to say, and “Bambro Koyo Ganda” is it. An upbeat drum progression reminiscent of earlier work “Flashlight”, worldly chants, and a trance hook that is hard to escape, have my body convulsing almost involuntarily. Layers of bells, claps, and bass allow for 5 minutes of non-stop pulsating. Tight.

Seventeen years after his debut album Animal Magic, Green’s signature downtempo sound is still vibrant and relevant, as well as ever evolving, which is all we talentless people can hope from our favorite artists.

Bonobo’s upcoming tour with Nick Murphy aka Chet Faker will certainly be a beautiful crossover of electronica, downtempo, and pop. See it come to life at Red Rocks May 21st for what’s sure to be an unforgettable show!

-Lina Skrzypczak

Thank goodness Denver was one of the nine cities chosen to be a part of the Loci Records Label Showcase. Emancipator’s Doug Appling, created the label, which he says on the label’s website is a, “crossroads of melodic downtempo, instrumental hip-hop, and electronica.” This showcase was exactly that!

With artists like Lapa, Edamame, and Tor signed to the label, you get Emancipator type feels, each with their own twist. The acts leading up to Emancipator built the energy up and gained any previous non-fans in the crowd. And with Emancipator having a pretty consistent sound and energy, it was pleasant to have openers that were each individual, while sticking to the overall fluidity of the show. Hip-hop beats, deep house rabbit holes, and easy to follow bass lines made this the perfect collaboration of music, with just enough diversity to keep it interesting.

The sold out show took The Bluebird by storm, full of fans young and old alike, exploding with sounds of excitement and gratitude as soon as Doug Appling and violinist, Ilya Goldberg took the stage. Octagon shaped projection screens, arranged in a sort of half circle behind all the artists, came especially to life when Emancipator started to play. Visions of sleepy winters, trippy psychedelia, and serene scenes of greenery ebbed and flowed to the music, and provided the crowd with a visual guide.

The soft, peaceful sounds of Goldberg’s violin, paired with Appling’s downtempo electronic beats, is a match made in heaven. Or Portland. As if their music couldn’t get any better, Appling threw in some old school, hip-hop, fan favorites, and had the crowd bumping and grinding in breakdowns. Very clear that Denver wanted to dance, Emancipator delivered and gave us some groovy music to get down to.

A wonderful compilation of many of their records, Emancipator’s set had a wonderful simplicity to it. A full house, an inspiring and thoughtfully put together showcase, and all the enchanting energy procured by these artists all add to an extensive past, full of great performances, put on by some of Denver’s favorites.

-Lina Skrzypczak