Fragments (Bonobo album)

Bonobo recorded Fragments in a self-built studio in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.^[1][5] Fragments features numerous collaborations with other artists, among them Jordan Rakei, Jamila Woods, Joji, Kadhja Bonet, O'Flynn, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.^[5] Instead of having his collaborators perform pre-written music, Bonobo collected "a wide range of material in the studio with collaborators” and edited their recordings later.^[6] Due to the pandemic, collaborations on the album were done remotely, which Bonobo felt made the music more intimate.^[7] One collaborator, the harpist Lara Somogyi, was featured on multiple songs. Bonobo recorded her playing the harp over one session, and incorporated samples of her playing throughout the album.^[6] The album contains both elements of downtempo and dance.^[1][5]

Bonobo released the first single for Fragments, "Rosewood", on 6 October 2021.^[8] He released "Tides", featuring Jamila Woods, on 20 October,^[6] and "Otomo", featuring O'Flynn, on 10 November.^[9][10] "Shadows", featuring Jordan Rakei, was released on 1 December^[11] and "From You", featuring Joji, was released on 3 January 2022.^[12]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100[13]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Clash	8/10[2]
Exclaim!	9/10[5]
The Line of Best Fit	8/10[14]
Mojo	8/10[15]
musicOMH	[3]
NME	[16]
The Observer	[17]
Pitchfork	5.4/10[18]
Uncut	7/10[19]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Fragments received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from sixteen critic scores.^[13] Dylan Barnabe wrote in Exclaim!: “It is an album to find love again; to reignite creativity; to regain hope; to find connection.” Robin Damien Morris stated in the Observer that Fragments is "brilliant, wondrous work".^[17] Murray wrote in Clash that Fragments "rewards repeated listens, with patience allowing these fresh elements to rise to the surface".^[2] Thomas Smith of NME considered it to be "most engaging record [Bonobo] has released since 2010's Black Sands – it is light, airy and remarkably well pieced together".^[16] Dave Beech wrote in the Line of Best Fit that "both personally and otherwise, Fragments is Bonobo's strongest record yet".^[14] Paul Simpson wrote in AllMusic that Bonobo's "productions [on Fragments] are just the right balance of lush and gritty".^[1]

In a mixed review, Sam Goldner wrote in Pitchfork that "the album amounts to little more than a modern-day take on easy listening".^[18] Ben Devlin wrote in musicOMH that "Fragments does not outstay its welcome, but only because it isn’t distinctive enough to be consciously welcomed in the first place".^[17]

According to Allmusic:^[1]

• Simon Green – production, mixing
• Frank Merritt – mastering, engineering, cutting
• Neil Krug – artwork
• Mat Maitland – design