By Seeham Rahman
My relationship with fabric is of a blossoming nature, having only attended one event there in the past (other than the esteemed fresher’s raves). However, with a little bit of knowledge on its history, Bonobo seemed to be an edgy, yet understandable pick to perform for fabric. A little bit different to their typical tech house to bassy artists, Bonobo brings sounds for all ages, people and music listeners. So yes, I was slightly weary, but the 8 hours I spent there celebrating fabric’s entry into its twenties, solidified its position in my raving scrapbook as a unique, familial electronic basement.
I didn’t expect anything less than earthy, beautiful and emotive sounds from Bonobo’s return to Fabric on the 24th of February. Simon Green had a lot to live up to in terms of record release after his 2017 album Migration was Grammy nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album and critically acclaimed across platforms as one of the best albums of the year. However, in terms of performance, as a fabric newbie, Green had plenty of room to experiment and enchant us with his refined skills in DJing.
Being a 4-hour DJ set, Bonobo had plenty of time to surprise. Not only could he show off his new tunes, but he could also showcase his top records along with the mixing people he is globally known for. It was completely ambiguous as to what he was going to play, and the question of the night was always, what next? Lucky for me, I was given more than I hoped for with the display of his new DJ mix ‘fabric presents Bonobo’.
The night began with artists TSHA and Throwing Snow, both of which have collaborated with him on his new collective project. TSHA brought in the evening with her intricate soft dance beats, following Bonobo’s influence yet mixing it up with hints of Berlin style, hard techno. Successful in blending these eclectic textures together, she programmed the night into a creative mix of urban and spiritual sounds, slowly drawing the crowd in for the night.
2 hours later, Throwing Snow was introduced as he mixed his well-known dubstep/house feel into the folklore infused techno TSHA had set up. The mood quickly carried on heightening and the somber yet dynamic room soon became a venue for excitement and readiness for the cosmic sounds Bonobo was to bring. Throwing Sounds, who’s set was very much a similar sound to what I expected out of Bonobo’s, was the perfect transition from the delicate to the emotional. Bonobo arrived into the booth and was embraced by the artist as he continued the night, transitioning into his 4-hour set. It was a lovely show of companionship in artistry and even more enjoyable when Bonobo mixed himself in smoothly, as always.
There was no time to grab a drink during this set. You didn’t want to miss a classic, a new track or anything in between. I was fixated and energised. And clearly everyone around me was also. Bonobo perfectly understands his audience but maintains the individuality of his music and leaves you wanting more every time. With songs like ‘Bambro Koyo Ganda’ and ‘Kerala’ from his previous record hyping up fans in the crowd, his aura was infectious and his music brought a feeling unlike many other artists. Music with such sharp percussion, world varied sounds and richness meant Bonobo was immune to dislike and the mood was consistently heightened.
I enjoyed the introduction of his new songs such as ‘Roach’ and ‘Nia’, which showed off the changing landscape of Bonobos music – high in energy, fluctuating in style and perfect to dance to. However, I was pleased to see that within all the grandeur, he kept a hold of his soulful roots, and appreciated the global sounds which make his artistry so popular, even if showing off a little with how much is going on.
So it’s fair to say, he presented just what we wanted from his new record in this set. His naturalistic hues maintain the same full electronic dance style, whilst evolving through the collaborative aspect of the mix. Songs like ‘Focus’ being thrown in show that though Bonobo is capable of doing more and more for the texture of his music, he can keep a crowd calm and happy with the vocals and personality of his songs. Nevertheless, I was a little upset not to hear the Bonobo I was used to, with his melancholic, ethereal classic tunes, but the old isn’t to be expected with the launch of a new album.
It’s now easy for me to see why Bonobo is a household name in the electronic music world. He has proved that he is dedicated to developing his technical skills as DJ and producer whilst also experimenting in feel good, dance music. When half-way through his set, his lead single ‘Ibrik’ was thrown into the mix, causing an eruption of cheers, Bonobo was cemented as not only a great mood-maker but an incredible DJ. And even from then until the set finished, he continued to bring out the big, broad tunes which left everyone dancing until the end of the night.
Bonobo did well and so naturally I felt every emotion I had hoped for by midnight. Simon Green understands the humane aspect of his music and displayed it perfectly with an energetic, soulful mix to some of his biggest fans, happily cramped into fabrics main room. As for the venue, with a change of sounds from migration, his less thematic, environmental music made fabric perfect location as it brings techno-lovers from all across the world into a base to connect in hypersocial London. Overall, the night was a success, even if I am a little biased to my love for Bonobo as an artist. And so I’m glad my otherwise calm Sunday evening was perfectly disrupted by Bonobo’s wonderful extended set, and I am excited to see what fabrics new mix series brings us.
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