The consolidation of a legacy: Bonobo announces 'Distance in Static'
The acclaimed British producer and composer Simon Green, known worldwide in the electronic scene as Bonobo, has made the release of his eighth studio album official. Titled 'Distance in Static', this new record will be released on September 11, 2026, through the prestigious independent label Ninja Tune. As the first preview of this ambitious work, the artist has released the promotional single 'Me and You', a dance-floor-oriented piece that is now available on all digital platforms after having been premiered exclusively during surprise pop-up events held recently in London and Paris.
'Distance in Static' arrives to mark a turning point in Green's extensive career of over two decades. Following the resounding success of his previous LPs, which earned him multiple GRAMMY award nominations and billions of streams, this new sonic chapter seeks to synthesize the two most distinct facets of his career: the virtuosity of the introspective composer and the unflagging energy of the selector focused on clubbing. The single 'Me and You' itself is a direct testament to this inclination toward the dance floor, capturing the groove and accelerated BPMs that have characterized his recent global DJ sets under the OUTLIER brand.
Recording sessions and an amalgam of global collaborations
The creative process behind 'Distance in Static' stands out for its nomadic and deeply immersive nature. The recordings were carried out in sessions spread between Los Angeles, Tokyo, and London, although a fundamental part of the album was conceived during several weeks of isolation at the legendary Broken Arrow Ranch studio, owned by Neil Young, located in California. This environment provided the producer with the perfect canvas to experiment with analog synthesis, recordings of traditional instruments like the guzheng, and the meticulous processing of historical Iranian samples.
To provide texture and vocal diversity to the work, Bonobo has gathered a stellar cast of international collaborators. The final tracklist includes contributions from figures such as Arooj Aftab, who stars in the captivating 'Fire on the Water', as well as Joy Crookes, Nilüfer Yanya, Ichiko Aoba, Nicole Miglis, and Aanya Martin. This plurality is also reflected in the lyrical section of the album, which organically intertwines compositions performed in English, Urdu, and Japanese, consolidating the cosmopolitan vision that has always defined the Briton's sound design.
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The design of the new tour and Simon Green's vision
I want to reinforce the idea that you can be more than one thing. It is that duality between live artist and DJ that lies at the heart of this album; a record full of depth and detail, which is both beautiful and impactful.
— Simon Green (Bonobo)
Accompanying the imminent release, Bonobo has confirmed the design of a completely renewed live show. The visual direction of this new stage is led by Pierre Claude, recognized for his lighting and scenographic work with industry titans like Air and Gesaffelstein. The tour will kick off in November 2026, traveling through North America, with stops scheduled at high-caliber clubs like Montreal's MTELUS, seeking to emulate the majesty of his past performances at giants of the circuit like the Glastonbury, Coachella, and Fuji Rock festivals.
Official tracklist and resonance in contemporary electronic culture
The title 'Distance in Static' evokes, according to the artist himself, images of blurred transmissions and transient frequencies; fragments of memory that resonate throughout his 25 years at the forefront of electronic music. As a new generation of clubbers and producers rediscovers the trip-hop and downtempo of the nineties through a contemporary lens, Bonobo's music stands as an indisputable intergenerational bridge.
- 1. Dawn
- 2. Cycles
- 3. Fire on the Water (feat. Arooj Aftab)
- 4. Drift
- 5. Talk to Me (feat. Nicole Miglis)
- 6. Uncasually
- 7. Always on Your Side (feat. Joy Crookes)
- 8. Youth's Fountain (feat. Nilüfer Yanya)
- 9. Shokoufeh
- 10. Can't You See (feat. Aanya Martin)
- 11. Me and You
- 12. Equinoctial (feat. Ichiko Aoba)
- 13. Mercury (feat. Kanako Yamamoto)
With pre-orders already active through Ninja Tune, including limited editions on pastel blue double vinyl, the imminent arrival of 'Distance in Static' promises to be one of the most relevant record milestones of the current year, reaffirming Simon Green's status as an unparalleled sound architect in the global electronic scene.
