on The North Borders

The recording artist / DJ known as Bonobo released "The North Borders" last week, and made Washington D.C. the first tour stop in support of the album.The songs came to life on stage, energized by complex layers of live drums, keys, saxophone, clarinet, bass, and a host of other instruments.The electronic genre, lately dominated by house and 'dubstep,' owes a great credit to Bonobo for expanding the possibility of what can be done in a masterfully orchestrated mix of jazz, two-step, big beat, and ambient chillout.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAg_vUC0UlQ]Vocalist Szjerdene contributes to the album on the tracks "Towers" and "Transits," and is along for the tour. She silenced (and amazed) the crowd with her soft, soulful style and substituted for Andreya Triana on some of the older tracks from 'Black Sands.'The North Borders opens with 'First Fires,' a brilliant track with an epic atmosphere that captures the apprehensive spirit of a new beginning. The elemental poetry of the tune had me visualizing the first fire ever lit by mankind, and imagining a re-creation of that moment, charged by a modern discovery.What if humanity found something as important as fire, again? Maybe the North Borders will be the soundtrack to the next technological revolution.