Review: With the series approaching its 30th volume, you do kind of know what you're getting from a 'Cafe del Mar' comp - what's easy to forget is quite how delightful and varied a concoction such a known quantity can be. Now here comes Vol 28 to remind us, as it flits back and forth effortlessly between ultra-deep prog ('Love On A Real Train'), laidback piano house ('Nabi'), stripped-down lovers rock (Yvonne Archer's take on 'Ain't Nobody'), shufflin' broken beat/soul ('From Little Seeds We Grow'), hefty dub (see cuts from Feiertrag and Ghetto Priest), the Pink Floyd-isms of Common Saints' 'Starchild' and more besides. Deeply chilled - and deeply satisfying.
Review: Ibiza institution Cafe Mambo needs little introduction. Starting as a sunset hangout, it soon became a perfect venue for the island's pre-parties and has developed an iconic status worldwide. It has served up thousands of sunsets since it first opened it's doors in 1994 and here's Sunset to Afterdark: an expertly crafted collection compiled by the team behind the successful Future Disco series and Needwant label. This one takes you from those unforgettable sunsets to, like the name suggests, the nighttime where things really heat up. If there is one essential soundtrack required this summer, this is it. Highlights not limited to: Zero 7's sublime drifter "Last Light", Dutch trio Kraak & Smaak's emotive and bittersweet little ditty "Stumble" (Blue Hotel Mix) through to the gorgeous remix of Tempelhof & Gigi Masin's "Blue 13" by Declasse main man Steve Coby. There's even a bit of slinky and uptempo tech house from hot UK duo Dusky. Comes with two continuous mixes for your convenience: Sunset and Afterdark, naturally.
Review: Given his impressive track record, hopes are naturally high for Bonobo's sixth album, Migration, which is his first full-length since 2013. Happily, it's a majestic affair, with the producer delivering another sumptuous set of tracks. It was partly inspired by an extended period musing on the nature of personal identity, and the role that nationality plays in that. This concept is translated via thoughtful lyrics, and songs that draw musical influence from the four corners of the globe. It's not a big stylistic leap, of course - his bread and butter remains yearning, emotion-rich downtempo music built around gently jazzy grooves and impeccable live instrumentation - but given that few artists do it better than Bonobo, we'll forgive him for that.
Review: A couple of years ago, Ninja Tune's Bonobo scored a big hit with his album The North Borders. Then he went on tour and The Borders Tour Live is what it sounds like. It's an 11-track beast comprising cuts recorded at The Roundhouse, Camden Town, The Pula Arena, Croatia and some live radio sessions too. When this career-defining tour wraps up at Alexandra Palace in November the band will have travelled 180,000 miles, taken in 175 shows in 30 countries across 3 continents over 18 months in front of 2 million people, but you can hear it here.
Review: Veteran Ninja Tune artist Bonobo has been putting out seriously decent tunes pretty much since the birth of the highly regarded Late Night Tales compilation. It's amazing that they haven't crossed paths before, but with the release of this 33rd entry into the series, the time has finally come for Green to take us on his own nocturnal mission. This 21-track odyssey is seamlessly mixed but the unmixed tracks are also presented so we can enjoy highlights like the velvety soul of 'Didn't I", the hippy funk of "Flowers" and the distorted, fuzzy trap of "Gutter Glitter".
Review: Since first emerging at the tail end of the '90s, Simon Green has become downtempo music's most marketable star, appealing just as much to occasional listeners and 40-something housewives as underground heads. Throughout that time, he's carefully shifted his sound to take in current trends and musical developments, whilst retaining a certain picturesque aesthetic. This fifth full-length, his fourth for Ninja Tune, continues that trend. Amongst the usual shuffling beats and twinkling melodies you'll find garage-esque vocal cut-ups, rubbery dancefloor rhythms, Floating Points style neo-jazz, string-laden two-step and some seriously wonky soul featuring vocals from Erykah Badu.
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