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.

Download Animal Magic mp3