Artist: Bonobo Album: Dial 'M' for Monkey

Year: 2003
Duration: 0:0-1

Dial 'M' for Monkey: A Critical Review of Bonobo's Album

Bonobo, also known as Simon Green, is a British musician known for his unique blend of downtempo electronica, trip-hop, and world music. His fourth studio album, Dial 'M' for Monkey, was released in 2003, and it features ten tracks that showcase Bonobo's signature sound. In this blog post, we will take a critical review of the album, charting its history, music genre, best songs, innovative parts, and overall critic.

History:

Dial 'M' for Monkey came out four years after Bonobo's previous album, Animal Magic. The album's title, Dial 'M' for Monkey, is a nod to a British children's television series from the 70s, Dial M for Murder. The album marked a significant shift from Bonobo's earlier works towards a more refined and polished sound.

Genre:

Dial 'M' for Monkey falls under the downtempo electronica genre, and it features a diverse range of musical styles, including trip-hop, jazz, soul, and funk. The album incorporates a rich blend of instruments, including saxophones, pianos, drums, and bass, to create a lush and evocative soundscape.

Best Songs:

The album boasts of several hits, including Pick Up, which loops an infectious saxophone riff over funky beats and Flutter, a track driven by strings and piano. Another notable song on the album is Noctuary, a jazzy number that melds saxophone, piano, and drums to create a chilled-out vibe.

Innovation:

Dial 'M' for Monkey showcases Bonobo's talent for blending different musical styles seamlessly. The album is a masterful collage of beats, samples, and live instrumentation. The mixing of soul, funk, and jazz influences with electronic effects and grooves creates a unique and appealing sound that captures the listener's attention.

Critique:

Critique:

While Dial 'M' for Monkey is a solid work, there are a few downsides. For instance, some of the tracks feel repetitive, with too much focus on the same groove and sample loops. Some of the tracks, like Change Down, could have done with more touches of instrumental and vocal variety to make them more engaging.

In overall, Dial 'M' for Monkey is an excellent album that showcases Bonobo's ability to create captivating and refreshing electronica. The album's diverse range of musical styles coupled with the artist's innovative use of sampled music gives it a unique sound that appeals to a wide variety of listeners. While there are a few misses on the album, the best songs, such as Pick Up and Flutter, make it a standout work that any music lover should check out. Bonobo's Dial 'M' for Monkey album is a timeless classic that continues to wow audiences to this day.