Stephen Wilkinson, AKA Bibio, is one hell of a busy guy, only six months after releasing Vignetting The Compost, his fifth release on Mush Records, he’s back on a new label (Warp) with Ambivalence Avenue a fascinatingly beautiful hybrid of folk and electronica.
This British born musician has drawn favourable comparisons to both Four Tet and Boards of Canada but on this, his sixth record, he has matured beyond his counterparts and has produced an album of well composed arrangements alongside electro-acoustic vocals.
The title track winds through precise and bouncing loops and flutes whilst ‘Sugarette’ offers a much deeper sound full of rounded beats, bleeps and vibrations. ‘Haikuesque (When She Laughs)’ is one of the stand out tracks with its dreamy lolloping vibe that slowly drifts into an ambient finish. So far so laidback you may think, but then you’re introduced to tracks like ‘Jealous of Roses’ and ‘Lovers’ Carvings,’ which are both funk-filled and uplifting wobbles complete with maracas and woodblocks.
This is a truly excellent record that you could happily leave playing whether having a chilled evening on the sofa or hosting a small gathering of likeminded folks as its move through various genres from electronic to folk through acoustic and ambient is flawless.
Words: NIkki Dodds