One Off Remixes and B-Sides

I was surprised that only one man has reviewed this, 'cause it should get much more attention. And then by seeing 4 stars as a rating, I was even more surprised. My ratings for the songs:

1: (5/5) Sounds like there's a very happy man, whistling while walking through the fields, with the sun on his head. This is the song that really stays in your mind the first time you get to hear the album.
2: (5/5) Great chorus in this song, sounds a bit '50, but that's a good thing. The song stays in your head for a long time, at least in my head. Sounds like there are two people lying in the grass just enjoying the moment. Once you hear it, you understand what I mean.
3: (5/5) Nice song, vocals remind me of Moby. Very well build up, at the end everything fits together. This song gets me in the happy mood all the time.
4: (5/5) Can't describe it. I've tried, but I can't. But believe me, it's worth 5/5.
5: (4/5) A bit boring, but at the end the song gets better. Makes me think about a snake coming out of it's basket by hearing a flute.
6: (4/5) Good song, but it's nog a standout.
7: (4/5) When I close my eyes, I see a guy on a banjo walking through the streets, and while playing he gets the attention of the other people and bladibladibla everyone was happy. The song can get boring after a while.
8: (5/5) Heavy piano, gets you banging your head. Well done
9: (5/5) Tell me how you feel!!!! Hypnotising!
10: (5/5) Great combination of slow hitted chords on a harp with nice drum programming on the background and a trumpet-like (???) thing making the melody.
11: (5/5) Sounds like some man from the Middle East is pinging on his gitar with very nice beats on the background.

Download One Offs remixes and B-Sides mp3

Conclusion: I think it's a CD you will listen to 'till it's broke. If you like Röyksopp or the latest CD's by Moby, you will certainly like this one. And not that this band is a copy of one of the named above, it really has it's own style. I can't get enough of it and I think it can get the same effect on many other people. Try it, buy it and, most importantly, like it! I think you will! The title doesn't sound very promising (referring to B-Sides), but when you have listened to it, you will hear what I mean! It's the besto Bonobo album available at the moment.

Animal Magic

For better or worse, the Internet has made it easy to satisfy a jones. No matter how exotic one's taste is, a couple of clicks will have your yen bubble-wrapped at your door. Unfortunately for me, my jones for Amon Tobin was satisfied too quickly. I needed more. With the release of the "4 Ton Mantis" single I got more. (Excuse me? Just what does Amon Tobin have to do with Bonobo? Just a moment. I'm getting there.) The "4 Ton Mantis" single featured a very tasty remix by Bonobo, a remix that triggered the jones. After too many search engines coughed up pages listing scientific papers on Australian pygmy monkeys (that's what a bonobo is), I download mp3 (legally) sound unheard, and now I have a new monkey on my back.

The Amon Tobin vibe is definitely there, especially on "Dinosaurs," "Shadowtricks," and "Sugar Rhyme." Both artists groove hard and share a fondness for muted horns (I think they may even share samples of muted horns) that make for fine nocturnal listenings. Mr. Tobin even gets a thanks in the liner notes. But where Amon Tobin is all about beats, Bonobo has a keen ear for melody and a lighter touch programming drum and percussion tracks, making him a little easier to listen to. Still, it's a fine line and I can see time adding layers of rhythmic complexity to Bonobo's compositions. In any case, if you jones for a tasty, noirish blend of beats and jazz, "Animal Magic" is a fine fix.

Addendum: The "Album Details" makes reference to "Some Sitar." "Some" is a recurring bit on a single track ("Terrapin"). I suppose it qualifies, but if you're looking for a heavy Indian influence, look elsewhere.

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Dial M for Monkey

Simon Green’s 2000 debut, Animal Magic, still sounds marvellous on a moonlit night, if indistinguishable from dozens of downtempo albums that took inspiration from it. Green’s been raking in the royalties since that influential first outing, leaving a Moby-style dilemma for his sophomore effort: could Dial M for Monkey follow the formula and become a commercial success or would it manage to surprise? In truth, Green’s pony has fewer tricks. It’s no massive departure, whatever the intention. As the title suggests, Dial . . . sticks to its predecessors’ cinematic formula, letting Green’s glorious melodies seep into the consciousness gradually, then buzz around the head like a trapped gnat. "Pick Up" raises the tempo, but Green’s ear for a key-change eventually takes things to moodier depths, remaining there with "Something for Windy" and "Light Pattern." Like the shy kid who secretly prefers violin to gym, Green probably couldn’t change tactics if he tried. Good thing, too.
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