BIBIO
Mind Bokeh
[Warp]
Bokeh is a photographic term referring to the blurring of an image. It's an apt title for an album which is an aural representation of a "mind blur" and quite capable of creating exactly that in the listener. UK producer Bibio aka Stephen Wilkinson began bleeping loudly on folks' radars with his Ambivalence Avenue album (2009), which saw his tape-distressed British folk and ambient blends develop into a wierdly bent style of densely layered pop music. Mind Bokeh sees him step further into that realm - ten of these twelve tracks feature Wilkinson's breathy vocals - and the sense of adventure is exhilirating and contagious. With swilring atmospherics, lush layering of organic/electronic instrumentation and subtle, intimate, coolly intriguing vocals, Bibio manages to sound like J Dilla and Toro Y Moi jamming with Vampire Weekend and Jose Gonzalez - at 5am in the morning, smothered in treacle, that is. A challenging, highly rewarding listen.
4 stars from 5
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