Bibio - Ambivalence AvenueMaybe this is a feeling limited to those of us who fall into the I-was-once-a-middle-school-boy set, but do you remember the sense of eager excitement caused by new ownership of a fresh pair of high-tops? Well, that's sort of how I feel about this new Bibio (aka Stephen Wilkonson) record that's currently running laps around my domepiece—I just can't wait to show it off. Perhaps you've caught wind of this self-taught UK producer's new record by way of its recent 'Best New Music' stamp from PFork. If not, suffice it to say that the hype is accurate. Existing somewhere between the left-field hip hop of Flying Lotus, the instrumental sample-collage of The Avalanches, and the genre-blurring production of DJ Shadow, the ambient beats on Ambivalence Avenue simply bump like no other.
There's some stock to be taken in the album's alliterative title, insofar as the direction and mood of Wilkinson's music refuses to sit still. The record is constantly venturing into new territory—whether it's pulsing hip hop, melodic pop, or bleeping electronica—never settling on one style and all the while incoporating a nostaligc haze of ambient found sounds. This restlessness may have proved distracting if each foray wasn't so damn enjoyable, as there's not a single unispired track on here. My favorites are "S'vive" "Jealous of Roses" "Haikuesque" "Fire Ant" and the title track.
Once again I'm breaking from my own mold a bit by featuring an album not available for embedding through Lala, but have no fear: Warp's website has an interactive "virtual forest" under Bibio's artist page where you can basically stream the entire album for free, and plant some digital conifers while you're at it. Dig?
