Name: Ribbons
Brand: Bibio

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

WARPCD299

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

4 Panel Softpack Sleeve with 12 Page Booklet.

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2019-04-12

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Redeye

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

0801061029920

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

LP-WRP-299

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Double Black Vinyl housed in Gatefold Sleeve with Printed Inners and Download.

801061029913

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "801061029913"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Bibio

Genre US

Electronic

Label US

Warp

Bibio returns in 2019 with Ribbons available here on Limited Double Purple Vinyl, Double Black Vinyl and CD.

Following his ambient atmospheric project, Phantom Brickworks, Stephen Wilkinson returns to the path of structured songwriting last explored on 2016’s A Mineral Love. Ribbons yields folkloric charm with an organic palette, incorporating a mostly acoustic-led approach exploring ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelia, soul, ambient, electronic and field recordings.

A self-taught musician, singer and producer, he plays nearly all of the instrumental parts on the album and unveils new instruments to his palette, bringing in mandolins, fiddle and other stringed instruments which give a new flavour to his music. But, while the sonics of the album are based around acoustic and other traditional instruments, the title Ribbons is extracted from the most electronic-leaning track on the album: “Pretty Ribbons And Lovely Flowers”. On the track, haunting, processed female vocals illuminate a route through dark ambience and a repeating earthy distorted chord sequence. Referencing the endless ribbons of analogue tape and film used in his music, photography and cinematic work, the album artwork is designed by Wilkinson, where his portrait offers a window onto an English woodland scene with spring bluebells adorned with ribbons.

The songs presented here often rely on melodic lines, like those used in lead single Curls, to define rhythm and groove rather than the definite pulse of percussion. There are however a few exceptions, like the ‘70s soul inspired Before and the Brazilian-influenced shuffling brushes groove of Old Graffiti. The weaving and overlapping guitar lines in instrumental tracks like Valley Wulf never stray too far from the grain of folk and storytelling with which this album is so cohesively tied together. Tracks such as Ode To A Nuthatch find Wilkinson exploring his signature sound of tape-saturated fingerpicked guitar, but with a melodic and harmonic maturity that makes Ribbons a definite evolution of this unique style.

Wilkinson’s folk influences span ‘60s and ‘70s styles from Britain, Ireland and America; he mixes influences of homegrown acid folk with the dreamy harmonies of its Californian counterpart. He also pays homage to his past J Dilla and Madlib inspired works, this time drawing influence from the eras and records those producers sampled, such as ‘60s and ‘70s Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Sharp and other soul artists, but rather than relying on sampling records, Wilkinson creates his homages from scratch with appropriate instrumentation. With his latest album Ribbons, Wilkinson oscillates between genres, pairing the unknown with the familiar and moving forward in a way that only he knows how to.

2LP - Double Black Vinyl housed in Gatefold Sleeve with Printed Inners and Download.

2LP+ - Limited Double Purple Vinyl housed in Gatefold Sleeve with Printed Inners and Download.

Cd - 4 Panel Softpack Sleeve with 12 Page Booklet.