Fragments (Bonobo album)
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| Fragments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 14 January 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:16 | |||
| Label | Ninja Tune | |||
| Producer | Simon Green | |||
| Bonobo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Fragments | ||||
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Fragments is the seventh studio album by British musician Bonobo. It was released on 14 January 2022 under Ninja Tune[3] and was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album for the 65th Grammy Awards.[4]
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]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 76/100[13] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Clash | 8/10[2] |
| Exclaim! | 9/10[5] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10[14] |
| Mojo | 8/10[15] |
| musicOMH | |
| NME | |
| The Observer | |
| 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]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Polyghost" (featuring Miguel Atwood-Ferguson) |
| 1:48 |
| 2. | "Shadows" (featuring Jordan Rakei) |
| 4:45 |
| 3. | "Rosewood" | Green | 4:02 |
| 4. | "Otomo" (featuring O'Flynn) |
| 6:11 |
| 5. | "Tides" (featuring Jamila Woods) |
| 3:46 |
| 6. | "Elysian" |
| 3:02 |
| 7. | "Closer" | Green | 5:11 |
| 8. | "Age of Phase" | Green | 5:42 |
| 9. | "From You" (featuring Joji) |
| 3:30 |
| 10. | "Counterpart" | Green | 5:32 |
| 11. | "Sapien" | Green | 4:03 |
| 12. | "Day by Day" (featuring Kadhja Bonet) |
| 3:44 |
| Total length: | 51:16 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Landforms" | Green | 3:37 |
| Total length: | 55:07 | ||
Personnel
According to Allmusic:[1]
- Simon Green – production, mixing
- Frank Merritt – mastering, engineering, cutting
- Neil Krug – artwork
- Mat Maitland – design