For college students whose minds are in a frenzy from deadlines, creative blocks, and everyday stress, “Black Sands” offers a comforting escape that blends funky beats and lush soundscapes, ideal for achieving clarity of mind and unwinding after a tiring day.
Produced by English musician Bonobo and released on March 29, 2010, “Black Sands” is a new-age electronica album that contains both live instrumentation tracks and computer-generated instruments, giving its sound an authentic feel.
According to Bonobo, the album marks a pivotal point in his career in which he reconnected with dance music after feeling detached from it, as he points out in a podcast interview. Living in London made him grow an appreciation for dance music, and “Black Sands” reflects both influences from his original work as well as his rejuvenated passion for dance music, creating a fresh and comparably more funkier addition to his discography.
Running just a little under an hour, the album contains jazz and orchestral influences that form a lush, relaxing sound that appeals to modern audiences who may be more acquainted with dance or electronic music.
The album begins with a prelude containing a violin with delicate piano accents, forming a simple yet atmospheric and attention-catching track that immediately gets listeners hooked, as though the listener is partaking in a beautiful boat ride in the jungle and in awe of the habitat’s breathtaking scenery. It blends seamlessly into the following track, “Kiara,” which retains the instruments of the prelude beautifully as harmonies alongside subtle vocal breaks.
However, the 8-bit synths incorporated sound as though they attempt to complement vocal breaks but sound slightly out of place and jarring instead against the beautiful symphonies included.
“Eyes Down,” while containing a pleasant rhythm, does not sound as sophisticated instrumentally as preceding tracks and therefore feels lacking with the minimal instrumentation alongside the more sophisticated preceding tracks. Though the song gets better as it progresses, the excitement and buildup take a while to develop.
“El Toro,” an album favorite of mine, establishes a tropical, exotic atmosphere with syncopated, colorful percussions and a bass, sounding beautifully sentimental in certain phases and more funky in others. The repeating violin riffs help keep the balance between these phases without sounding out of place.
“We Could Forever” establishes itself as an atmospheric, hopeful-sounding track with multiple syncopated drums and beats, whistle synths and a groovy guitar riff. It’s relaxing yet uplifting — a combination not found too often in music that is achieved perfectly through the instrumentation.
“All in Forms” also stands out as a masterpiece. Its ethereal, dream-like synths immediately drew me in, later joined by drums, guitar, and other electronic synths that form a reflective track as though skydiving on the “Black Sands” island. One phase contains maracas, a piano and a bass with a beautiful minor chord progression that is simple yet elegant.
“Animals” contains march-like anthem beats accompanied by a jazzy clarinet and gradually increases in pace and energy while still sounding relaxing with a hint of sentimentality. However, the trumpet in a later part of the song sounds like it tries a little too hard to sound “jazzy”, resultantly coming off as random and a little out-of-place.
The album ends with its namesake, beginning with a single, serene guitar riff later joined by a bass, simple jazz symphonies, and more guitars, creating an introspective, emotional finale that sufficiently wraps up the album. It feels as though the listener is departing from the lush island that is the album’s soundscape, looking upon it sentimentally from an aerial view and yearning to visit it once again.
If you seek a sound that motivates you to create, reflect, or relax, “Black Sands” is the perfect fit. Its rich sound, despite its occasionally unfitting additions, inspires and immerses listeners. Consider adding some of the album’s tracks to an unwinding or relaxation playlist in preparation for finals week.
