BIB10

Bibio's Stephen Wilkinson loves changing gears from album to album, so it's a good thing he's extremely skilled at it. Taking his leave from the pastoral acoustic beauty of Ribbons and its companion EP Sleep on the Wing, on Bib10 he translates his brilliance at creating soundworlds through the lens of pop, rock, and R&B production and songwriting from the '70s and '80s. While it's a concept that could have stodgily traditional results, Bibio's aptly named tenth album is anything but. Like the cover artwork's fusion of a vintage electric guitar and satin sheets, Bib10's songs and interludes are supple, elegant, and rooted in Wilkinson's love of six-strings. Sometimes, the guitar's role is obvious: "Sharratt" polishes the lively, intricate figures that have defined his music since his days on Mush Records to a gleaming shine. Elsewhere, they play a supporting part, as on "Potion," where vocoders and satisfyingly squishy synth tones dominate, calling to mind M83 and Breakbot's similar eye for nostalgic detail as well as Bibio's own A Mineral Love. Not coincidentally, Bibio reunites with A Mineral Love vocalist Olivier St. Louis for the highlight "S.O.L.," a piece of crisp disco that boasts sizzling synth and guitar interplay as well as a popping bass solo and "whoo!" backing vocals delivered without a trace of irony. Though none of Bibio's albums sound exactly alike, the connections within his body of work eventually make themselves apparent. Along with its ties to A Mineral Love's R&B, Bib10 updates the late summer glow of Ambivalence Avenue with "Rain and Shine"'s Celtic soft rock and transforms the dreamy atmospheres of his music into slinky, blissed-out pop on "Off Goes the Light." His flair for the unexpected is also well-represented with "Cinnamon Cinematic"'s samba sway, while the virtuosic pedal steel on "Lost Somewhere" suggests country music could be his next horizon. Wilkinson grounds Bib10's adventurous sounds not just in their guitar foundations, but in solid songwriting. Aside from the ambient masterpiece Phantom Brickworks, all of Bibio's Warp albums have sprinkled flawless pop songs among the impressive productions and arrangements. This time, there's a deluge of them, including the gracefully heartbroken synth pop of "Even More Excuses" and the acoustic confessions of "A Sanctimonious Song," both of which make regret sound better than it has any right to. Best of all is "Phonograph," a strikingly simple fingerpicked reverie where memories and dreams revolve around themselves, taking the world and music itself into their orbit. Like the classic albums from the era that inspired it, Bib10 is an immensely satisfying listening experience -- and an exquisitely crafted celebration of the beauty and possibilities within Wilkinson's music. ~ Heather Phares