Simon Green, the veteran UK producer and DJ who records under the name Bonobo, is getting ready to release Distance In Static, a new album that includes appearances from artists like Nilüfer Yanya, Nicole Miglis, and Arooj Aftab. We already posted lead single "Me And You," and now Bonobo has two more new tracks, including the one that he recorded with Aftab.
Bonobo recorded a good chunk of Distance In Static at Neil Young's Broken Arrow Ranch studio, and he invited Arooj Aftab out to work together. Their new song "Fire On The Water" came together when Aftab heard Bonobo recording an acoustic guitar loop to test the studio inputs. Together, they built the track out, with Aftab singing in Urdu, taking her lyrics from poetry that a friend had written.
In a press release, Bonobo says, "When that song happened, that's when I could first see an album coming into shape. We were both like, 'Oh, this is really special.'" Aftab says, "I had the dreamiest time making this song with Simon in the Redwoods. He is a boyish joy and a beautiful soul. The lyrics, written by my dear friend Yasra Rizvi, live in that tender place where time keeps moving but desire remains. There can still be fire on the water."
"Fire In The Water" is a hazy, unreal track that really casts a spell, and Bonobo has paired it with the straight-up club instrumental "Drift." Below, you can hear both songs and see director Thomas Vanz's video for "Fire On The Water."
Distance In Static is out 9/11 on Ninja Tune.
