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Bibio
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Key Information
Stephen James Wilkinson (born 4 December 1978),[1] better known as Bibio, is an English musician and producer. He is known for a distinct analog lo-fi sound, and for working in a diverse range of genres, beginning in folktronica and ambient and later stretching to include instrumental hip hop, indie pop, electronica, soul, funk, and alternative R&B.
He currently releases music on Warp Records,[2] and previously released on Mush Records.
Biography and career
[edit]Beginnings at Mush Records (1999–2009)
[edit]A resident of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, England, Wilkinson developed a passion for experimental music during his time at Middlesex University in London from 1999 to 2003, where he studied "sonic arts". His earliest songs were mainly layered guitar compositions inspired by Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint, one of his earliest being "Cantaloup Carousel", which was originally recorded in 1999 at his university residence. His recording equipment at the time consisted of a "plastic" microphone, a budget sampler, cassette deck, and a portable MiniDisc recorder.[3]
Listening to music on Warp Records in 2000 led him to experiment with programming virtual synthesizers in SuperCollider, which he was introduced to via his university classes. His discovery of Nick Drake and The Incredible String Band in 2001 also encouraged him to try fingerpicking and alternative guitar tunings, which "opened up new avenues of melodic expression and serendipity" and "made playing guitar feel fresh and exciting again". Wilkinson credits these "happy days of discovery" at university with helping develop his signature lo-fi sound.[3]
Upon graduating, Wilkinson left London and returned to Wolverhampton, setting up a recording space in the spare bedroom of his girlfriend's parents' house.[3] He worked part time while recording music, and was briefly a lecturer at Stafford College teaching Music Technology.[4] After sharing his collection of recordings with Marcus Eoin of Boards of Canada, Eoin recommended Bibio to American indie label Mush Records, who signed Wilkinson in 2004.[5] He adopted the name "Bibio" from the name of a black-and-red artificial fly his father used on fly-fishing trips for trout in Wales.[6]
Wilkinson's university recordings from 1999 to 2003 formed the basis of his debut album fi, released in February 2005.[7] Sophomore album Hand Cranked was released March 2006, and continued in a similar style, seeking to emulate the sound of mechanical music boxes using antique instruments.[8][9][10] His third full-length album Vignetting the Compost, released February 2009, carried on with his signature sound while progressing towards more traditional folk song structures.[11] Digital only EP Ovals and Emeralds followed in March 2009 and explored circus music and the sounds of fairground organs.[12]
Bibio's output on Mush Records mostly consisted of instrumental guitar compositions, centered around the use of looped melodies, ambient field recordings, found sounds, tape distortion and manipulation, additional folk instruments, and gentle synth drones. Only occasional songs featured vocals ("Mr. and Mrs. Compost", "Great Are The Piths", "Abberiw", and "Flesh Rots, Pips Sown"). Bibio occasionally worked with Letherette during this time, after Wilkinson met Richard Roberts working at the same pub as him. Roberts co-wrote and co-produced several Bibio songs, the pair began a short lived music project named SK Dreams, and the three along with Matt Cutler started a record label named Artists' Valley, which released a limited 7-inch Bibio single "Shelia Sets Sail" in 2005.[13][14]
Warp and Ambivalence Avenue (2007–2009)
[edit]While continuing to record lo-fi guitar pieces, Wilkinson was inspired by artists like J Dilla, MF Doom, and Madlib to begin a short-lived hip hop side project named Duckula. Listening to Daft Punk and Warp Records artists also inspired him to create 90s french house and electronica tracks, and Brazilian guitarists like Marcos Valle and João Gilberto deeply influenced his guitar playing and led him to write funk, soul, and samba inspired pieces. After a period of trying to separate his various styles into different side projects, Wilkinson was encouraged by his friends to de-compartmentalize and merge his interests under the Bibio name.[3]
In 2007, he recorded the song "Ambivalence Avenue", which he now regards as a milestone in his career – "it combined the lofi tapey Bibio guitar sound with weightier beat based production, fingerpicking with jazz chords, it had a Brazilian influence, a folk influence and a hip hop influence, it was a realization of an idea in my head trying to come out, it was a combination I had been striving for a while. Making this track gave me a new confidence and triggered what became the most prolific period of my life so far." The song caught the attention of Steve Beckett of Warp Records, who encouraged him to keep recording in this style. Wilkinson "knuckled down" and recorded the tracks that would make up Ambivalence Avenue between 2007 and 2008. On the strength of these recordings Bibio signed to Warp Records in August 2008.[3]
Ambivalence Avenue was released in June 2009, four months after Ovals and Emeralds, and marked the start of a new sound and era, embracing vocals, hip-hop beats, folk and pop song structures, and funk/soul guitars.[15] Wilkinson regarded it as "another debut album" and recalled recording the album during "difficult years, having a degree that meant nothing to the world around me... being in my mid 20s and not knowing where I was heading in life in a town with little opportunity," and was uncertain whether people would enjoy its variety. Ambivalence Avenue was met with largely favorable reviews, with Tiny Mix Tapes describing it as his "most creative and penetrating release yet"[16] and Pitchfork ranking it as the 33rd best album of 2009,[17] stating "it's shocking how utterly and successfully he rewrites his playbook." Some reviewers were more critical, with Drowned in Sound claiming "Bibio's tendency... to either smooth the edges of his creations into non-threatening abstraction or fail to zone in on his best ideas is frustrating."[18]
Companion release The Apple and the Tooth followed shortly after in November 2009, his fourth major release of the year, featuring four new songs and eight remixes of tracks from Ambivalence Avenue. The original tracks were described as "expert, full of electronic papier-mache layers of arpeggiated guitars, glitchy drum patterns and joyful percussive samples," by The Guardian.[19] In some publications, it is referred to as Bibio's fifth album due to its length.
Mind Bokeh and Silver Wilkinson (2011–2014)
[edit]Genres are the menu and music is the food, and I prefer to eat food and not the menu.
Bibio's next studio album, Mind Bokeh, was released on 29 March 2011 in the US and 4 April in the UK, promoted by the single "Excuses" in February 2011. It continued the sound of Ambivalence Avenue with more mixing of genres, including forays into power pop on "Take Off Your Shirt" and microhouse on "Saint Christopher". Wilkinson described the album as having a "balance of the familiar and the non-familiar."[21] Mind Bokeh was met with mixed reviews. Clash ranked Mind Bokeh the 24th best album of 2011,[22] and Slant praised the album for being "fluid and formless, committing to pop structure and melodies one moment only to eschew them the next, often all within the same track",[23] while Tiny Mix Tapes called the album "an ugly stepchild of a record, neither diverting enough to work as pop nor novel enough to satisfy as pure electronic music,"[24] and XLR8R felt the LP had "a less than desirable success rate".[25]
Mind Bokeh was followed by two accompanying EPs, K is For Kelson in May 2011 and T.O.Y.S. in August 2011, which featured alternate versions of "K is For Kelson" and "Take Off Your Shirt" respectively alongside new music.
Bibio's sixth record Silver Wilkinson, named after a fishing fly found in a charity shop, was recorded shortly after Mind Bokeh and was released 13 May 2013. Wilkinson took lyrical inspiration from films and daydreams and sought a "cinematic, panoramic and lush" sound for the record, while electing to "pick up the guitar more and focus on a more melancholy live sound".[26] "Sycamore Silhouetting" dates back to 2007–2008 and existed in "many different versions" before being finished for Silver Wilkinson, and "You" began as part of the side projects which led to Ambivalence Avenue.[27] Significant parts of lead single "À tout à l'heure" and "Dye the Water Green" were recorded outdoors in Wilkinson's garden.[28] Wilkinson described the album as his "most melancholy perhaps as a whole".[29] The album was met with mostly positive reviews, with AllMusic praising the album as "a scenic route through Bibio's music that showcases its depth as well as its breadth."
Silver Wilkinson was followed by The Green EP, released in January 2014, which features archive tracks chosen to compliment Wilkinson's favorite track "Dye the Water Green".[13]
Bibio next contributed "Dye the Water Green" and six original songs to the 2014 film Men, Women & Children, directed by Jason Reitman. Wilkinson spent a day with Reitman playing unreleased tracks over film footage, and described the experience as "very perfect, like dream come true stuff". Four of the six original songs appear on the film's soundtrack album.[30]
In 2015, Warp Records reissued fi for its 10th anniversary, adding an uncut version of album closer "Poplar Avenue".[31]
A Mineral Love and Phantom Brickworks (2016–2018)
[edit]Released 1 April 2016, Bibio's seventh studio album A Mineral Love featured collaborations with Gotye, Oliver St.Louis, and Wax Stag, and diverged from his previous work by featuring a prominent 70s, 80s, and alternative R&B sound, later described by PopMatters as a "joyous yacht-psych fever dream".[32][33][34]
Wilkinson began the sessions for A Mineral Love in February 2015 by building a sound-proof home studio, which he credits with helping take the album away from the "bedroom producer approach" of his earlier records, and cited Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Prince and B. B. & Q. Band as influences on the album.[35] Wilkinson had been friends with Wax Stag from early on in his career, while his collaboration with Gotye happened entirely over email, the pair never met.[33] Bibio was introduced to Olivier St.Louis through his feature on Hudson Mohawke's song "Butter" and bonded with him quickly over "guitars, brogues and watches".[35] Their collaboration led to further meetings, and in September 2017 the follow-up The Serious EP was released, featuring three more songs written by the pair.[36]
Another followup EP Beyond Serious was released on 12" and digital on 5 May 2017. Wilkinson had always wanted to release "an EP or something of just house tracks". Inspired by a recent purchase of a Roland TR-808, Wilkinson recorded four tracks using nothing but the machine and a ring modulator, then developed the songs further with synths and manipulated vocals from the recently recorded The Serious EP.[37]
Phantom Brickworks was released 3 November 2017, preceded by the single "Capel Celyn" on 27 October 2017.[38] In a further divergence from his work over the last decade, the album is entirely ambient, made from a set of improvised compositions consisting of processed piano, synth, and guitar loops surrounded by tape hiss and field recordings. Recorded over ten years, Wilkinson produced the LP based on the concept that "places can be haunted by meaning," reasoning that "human beings are highly sensitive to the atmospheres of places, which can be enhanced or dramatically altered when you learn about the context of their history." Most of the song titles are references to abandoned places in the United Kingdom, such as Capel Celyn, a community in Gwynedd, Wales that was intentionally flooded to create a reservoir in 1965, and "Capel Bethania", a song named after a chapel demolished in 1991.[39]
The album was well received by reviewers, who called it Bibio's most accomplished record. It landed at number 11 on Time Out New York's list of the best albums of 2017.[40] The Line of Best Fit claimed "Bibio has not only created a record that stands apart from his other Warp albums to date, but has cemented his mastery of the atmospheric."[41]
Followup EP Phantom Brickworks (IV & V), featuring two additional tracks from the Phantom Brickworks sessions, was released exactly a year later on 12" and digital on 9 November 2018, along with a limited edition release photo book. The tracks were described as "the ideal bookend to Bibio's project".[42]
Ribbons and Bib10 (2019–2023)
[edit]Bibio's ninth studio album Ribbons was released on 12 April 2019.[43] The album marks a return to the lo-fi guitar oriented roots of his earlier career, such as on 2009's Vignetting the Compost, while retaining some of the funk and soul influences featured prominently on A Mineral Love.[44] The album was well received by critics, accumulating an overall score of 81 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".[45] Canadian music publication Exclaim! stated, "With Ribbons, it is clear that Bibio is trying to take the best parts of his music over the years and bring them together into one concise, but eclectic, album, and on more than a few moments, he succeeds beautifully."[46]
Ten track EP Sleep on the Wing was released June 12, 2020, and was an extension of the guitar oriented lo-fi side of Ribbons, featuring a variety of traditional string instruments and folk inspired songwriting.[47] AllMusic called it "quintessentially Bibio, and spending more time with it is a joy."[48]
In 2020, Warp Records obtained the rights to Bibio's Mush Records recordings, and began reissuing Hand Cranked, Vignetting the Compost, and Ovals and Emeralds on vinyl and digital. Hand Cranked was reissued digitally with five bonus tracks, including the original recording of "Cantaloup Carousel" from 1999.
On 08 September 2022, Bibio announced his tenth studio album Bib10 would be released 21 October 2022, calling it "more of a party album" and "an ode to guitar in a very different way."[49] The album continued to combine styles from across his career, and received somewhat positive reviews, hailed as "a delight of vintage guitars and old school production techniques"[50] while another reviewer described the album as "burrowing down a not as interesting rabbit hole to search for his groove-based side."[51] There were two follow-up releases in 2023 — the S.O.L. EP presented reworkings of the title track from Alan Braxe and Bibio himself (as Champaign Eagle and 81810), and the Sunbursting EP featured seven new songs, including a collaboration with Icelandic saxophonist Óskar Guðjónsson.
In August 2024, a 15th anniversary edition of Ambivalence Avenue was released with three bonus tracks including "The Art of Dying", "West Park", and an extended version of "All the Flowers", all of which were recorded in 2009.[52]
Phantom Brickworks (LP II) and current work (2024–present)
[edit]In November 2024, Bibio released his eleventh album Phantom Brickworks (LPII) alongside a limited photobook, a continuation of his study of abandoned locations across the Welsh countryside by way of ambient songwriting and photography.[53] In an interview on the album with Inverted Audio, Wilkinson shared explicitly that "to make a Phantom Brickworks album is more like photography. You go out and shoot a roll of film and there might be one really good photo if you’re lucky. So it takes time to build up a collection of those special takes to make an album."[54]
Live
[edit]Bibio rarely performs live in front of an audience, preferring to share studio sessions recorded at home. He embarked on a DJ tour through 2009 and 2010 in support of Ambivalence Avenue,[55] and continues to DJ live on occasion. He most notably toured a live solo electronic show in 2011, working with midi controllers and a laptop remixing songs from Ambivalence Avenue and Mind Bokeh on the fly, as well as a one-off show in 2017 in Japan where he performed with a TR-808, TB-303, and laptop in the style of his Beyond Serious EP.[56]
Although he discussed putting a live band together in 2011, none materialized, except for a small band of friends for Silver Wilkinson studio sessions.[57][58] He confessed in 2016, "I said that... because it was expected of me, that forming a band was a logical step to make. In honesty, it's not something I want to do,"[33] and later explained "I like to perform alone in my home or studio into microphones, that's how I like to express myself as a musician, it's a place where I can get lost in my world of imagination and make something for people to connect to, I can't feel like that in front of an audience... it takes me so far out of the zone that I don't feel like I can get into the music."[32]
Visual work
[edit]Stephen Wilkinson creates the majority of the artwork for Bibio – including fi, Hand Cranked, The Apple and the Tooth, Mind Bokeh, Silver Wilkinson, and Ribbons. He also works on videography, having created the film for his Mind Bokeh album sampler, the music video for "A Tout L'heure" and co-directing the video for "Excuses" with Michael Robinson.[59]
Wilkinson is an avid photographer, working with film / analog photography.[60]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- fi (2005, Mush Records)
- Hand Cranked (2006, Mush Records)
- Vignetting the Compost (2009, Mush Records)
- Ambivalence Avenue (2009, Warp Records)[61]
- Mind Bokeh (2011, Warp Records) UK chart peak: #195[62]
- Silver Wilkinson (2013, Warp Records)
- A Mineral Love (2016, Warp Records)[63]
- Phantom Brickworks (2017, Warp Records)
- Ribbons (2019, Warp Records)[64]
- Bib10 (2022, Warp Records)
- Phantom Brickworks LP2 (2024, Warp Records)
EPs
[edit]- Ovals and Emeralds (2009, Mush Records)
- The Apple and the Tooth (2009, Warp Records)
- T.O.Y.S. (2011)
- The Green E.P. (2014)
- The Serious E.P. (2016)
- Beyond Serious (2017)
- Zen Drums/Dada Drums (2018)
- Phantom Brickworks (IV & V) (2018)
- WXAXRXP Session (2019)
- Sleep on the Wing (2020, Warp Records)
- Vidiconia (2021)
- S.O.L. EP (2023)
- Sunbursting EP (2023)
Singles
[edit]- "Sheila Sets Sail" b/w "Tribio" (2006, Artist's Valley Records)
- "Ambivalence Avenue" b/w "Fire Ant" (2009, Warp Records)
- "Hedged-in" (2009) – contributed to The Relay Project, an online musical "collaboration"[65]
- "Lovers' Carvings" (2011) (UK Singles Chart peak: #170)[66]
- "K Is for Kelson" (2011)
- "Excuses / Old Friends" (2011)
- "Willenhall" (2012) – split single with Clark
- "À tout à l'heure" (2013)
- "Dye The Water Green" (2013)
- "Petals" (2015)
- "Town & Country" (2016, Warp Records)
- "Heath Town" (2016) – split single with Mark Pritchard and Clark
- "Capel Celyn" (2017)
- "The Art of Living / Spruce Tops" (2019)
- "Curls" (2019)
- "All This Love" Braxe/Falcon/Bibio (2024)
- "An Unopened Letter" (2025) – with Dorian Concept
Remixes
[edit]- Clark – "Ted (Bibio Remix)" from Ted E.P. (2006)
- Epic45 – "The Stars in Autumn (Remixed by Bibio)" (2008)
- Lone – "Midnight Feast (Bibio Remix)" from Cluster Dreams (2009)
- Neon Indian – "Mind, Drips (Bibio Remix)" from Mind Ctrl: Psychic Chasms Possessed (2009)
- DM Stith – "Abraham's Song (Bibio Remix)" from "Heavy Ghost" (2009)
- Grasscut – "The Door in the Wall (Bibio Mix)" (2010)
- Gonjasufi – "Candy lane (Bibio Remix)" from The Caliph's Tea Party (2010)
- !!! – "The Most Certain Sure (Bibio Remix)" from Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass (2010)
- Tycho – "Spectre (Bibio Remix)" from "Awake (Deluxe Version)" (2014)
- Dorian Concept – "Ann River, Mn (Bibio Remix)" from Joined Ends Remix EP (2015)
- Boards of Canada – Kaini Industries (Bibio remix)
- Marly Lüske – Smell (remix by Bibio) (Warp records 2007)
- Villagers – A Trick of the Light (Bibio Remix) from The Art of Pretending to Swim (2018)
References
[edit]- ^ "TLOBF Interview :: Bibio". The Line Of Best Fit. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ "Bibio: Hear 'Silver Wilkinson' Album Sampler". Warp Records. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Warp to reissue Bibio's Fi and Ambivalence Avenue". Cast the Dice. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Jones, Lucy. "Mystery, Novelty and the Nature of Sound An Interview With Bibio". WARP. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio on Mush". Mush Records. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Album review: Bibio – 'Ambivalence Avenue' | NME". NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Mush Records – MH234 Bibio – Fi". Mush Records. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio on Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Mush Records – MH-244 Bibio – Hand Cranked". Mush Records. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio". bibio.co. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Mush Records – MH-263 Bibio – Vignetting the Compost". Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Mush Records – MH-042 Bibio – Ovals and Emeralds". Mush Records. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ a b Addams, Gregory. "Bibio Announces 'The Green EP'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "artists' valley records". Myspace. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^ Gabrielle, Timothy (8 July 2009). "Bibio: Ambivalence Avenue". PopMatters. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Tiny Mixtapes Review: Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue". Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 2009". Pitchfork. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Album Review: Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue". DrownedInSound. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Dean, Will (19 November 2009). "The Guardian Review Review: Bibio – The Apple And The Tooth". London. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ Weiner, Moses (5 August 2011). "Bibio's Back". Dazed. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Warp Records – Bibio – Mind Bokeh Sampler". Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ "The Top 40 Albums Of 2011: 30 – 21". Clash Magazine. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Leidel, Kevin (25 March 2011). "Review: Bibio, Mind Bokeh – Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Rs, Nick. "Bibio – Mind Bokeh". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Fallon, Patric (29 March 2011). "Bibio Mind Bokeh". XLR8R. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Cooper, Duncan. "FADER Mix: Bibio". Fader. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio". Hunger. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio: New album 'Silver Wilkinson', listen and download À tout à l'heure". Warp.net. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
- ^ Jones, Josh (4 June 2013). "We Spoke To Bibio About Hallucinating". Vice. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Steam Bibio's soundtrack for Men, Women & Children". Dazed. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio reissues Fi and Ambivalence Avenue via Warp". Fact Magazine. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Pretty Ribbons and Lovely Flowers: An Interview with Bibio". PopMatters. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ a b c Pennington, Ian (17 March 2016). "Bibio: A Mineral Love". Now Then Sheffield. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Burns, Megan. "Byt interviews Bibio". Brightest Young Things. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ a b Whittaker, Montrey. "Bibio chats on new music inspiration and burying the word 'Folktronica' [Interview] – EARMILK". Earmilk. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "The Serious EP by Bibio". Terrorbird. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio – Beyond Serious. Bibio". Warp. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "WARP = Listen to 'Capel Celyn', New album 'Phantom Brickworks' out 3 November". WARP. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Beta, Andy. "Bibio: Phantom Brickworks Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "29 Best Albums of 2017 You Need to Know". Time Out New York. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Foster, Rory (26 October 2017). "Bibio cements his mastery of the atmospheric with his sixth LP for Warp". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ Durston, Tom (13 November 2018). "Review: Bibio: Phantom Brickworks IV & B – Inverted Audio". Inverted Audio. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio Announces New Album Ribbons". Pitchfork. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ "Bibio: Ribbons". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ Ribbons by Bibio, retrieved 18 February 2020
- ^ "Bibio Ribbons". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ^ Bennett, Macie (10 June 2020). "Bibio Discusses Writing and What Made The Cut For 'Sleep On The Wing'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Phares, Heather. "Bibio – Sleep on the Wing: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- ^ Arnone, Joey. "Bibio Announces New Album, Shares Lyric Video For Lead Single "Off Goes the Light"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ Webb, Robin. "ALBUM REVIEW: Bibio – Bib10". Narc Magazine. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ Sweeney, Eamon. "Bibio: Bib10 - too much genre-hopping fails to hit previous highs". The Irish Times.
- ^ Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue (Deluxe Edition), Warp Records, 6 August 2024, retrieved 27 February 2025
- ^ "Bibio - PHANTOM BRICKWORKS (LP II). Bibio". Warp. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Durston, Tom (26 November 2024). "Bibio unearths the mindset of Phantom Brickworks (LP II)". Inverted Audio. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ "Bibio DJ Tour". Mush Records. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
- ^ "Taico Club". JamBase. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Bibio Talks Live Performance". Clash Magazine. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Watch Bibio Hibernate in the English Countryside for Live 'Sycamore Silhouetting' Video". Spin. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Michael Robinson Portfolio". Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ "Lomography – Learn bokeh with Bibio". www.lomography.com. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Bleep.com – High Quality Music And Media – Buy MP3, WAV, FLAC, Vinyl, CDs". Beta.bleep.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ "CHART: CLUK Update 16 April 2011 (wk14)". Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ "Warp Records – Releases – Bibio – A Mineral Love". Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
- ^ Yoo, Noah (27 February 2019). "Bibio Announces New Album Ribbons". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ "Hedged in by Bibio". relayproject.com. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ "CHART: CLUK Update 11 June 2011 (wk22)". Retrieved 5 February 2013.
External links
[edit]- Bibio at the Warp Records website
- Bibio at the Mush Records website
- Bibio visits Rob da Bank in the studio
- Bibio discography at Discogs
Bibio
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Childhood and family background
Stephen Wilkinson, known professionally as Bibio, was born in 1978 in Wolverhampton, located in England's West Midlands region and part of the Black Country.[1][5] Raised in this industrial yet historically rural area, Wilkinson's early years were shaped by a modest family environment where music played an informal role from a young age. He began experimenting with music in the early 1980s using a Bontempi organ and progressed to programming synthesizers and making field recordings by age 10.[1] His father introduced him to rock music, including bands like Queen and Pink Floyd, often playing it during car rides, which provided Wilkinson's initial exposure to structured sounds amid the everyday rhythms of local life.[6] Additionally, family outings fostered a connection to nature; Wilkinson frequently accompanied his father on fly-fishing trips to Wales, developing a lifelong hobby that later influenced his artistic identity.[7] The stage name "Bibio" originates from these childhood experiences, specifically the name of a small black-and-red artificial fishing fly—known as a "bibio"—that his father favored for trout fishing.[7][8] This hobby not only offered Wilkinson a personal escape but also symbolized the blend of tranquility and creativity that would define his work. Details on his family remain sparse, emphasizing instead how these quiet, familial influences grounded his self-taught musical explorations.[9] In his late teens and early twenties, Wilkinson's creative pursuits began in unassuming settings, reflecting the low-key nature of his early artistic development. He met his long-term partner in 1996 and soon started incorporating elements from her family's home into his initial recordings, such as their piano, which he used for rudimentary compositions. By the early 2000s, after completing his studies, he set up a basic recording space in the spare bedroom of his girlfriend's parents' house in Wolverhampton, where he produced his first demos using affordable equipment like electronic keyboards he had tinkered with since childhood. These sessions marked the tentative beginnings of his lo-fi aesthetic, born from personal hobbies rather than formal training. Transitioning from these informal experiments, Wilkinson later pursued studies in sonic arts to refine his skills.[2][10][9]University studies and early interests
Stephen Wilkinson enrolled in the Sonic Arts program at Middlesex University in London from 1999 to 2002, where he honed his skills in sound design, electronic music composition, and multi-instrumentalism.[7][11] The curriculum emphasized experimental approaches to audio, including the manipulation of everyday objects to create unconventional sounds, which broadened his understanding of sonic textures and production techniques.[7] During this period, Wilkinson adopted the alias Bibio, drawing from a fly-fishing lure favored by his father in childhood outings.[7][12] Complementing his formal training, Wilkinson pursued self-taught elements of music production, experimenting extensively with affordable, low-fidelity gear. He frequently utilized budget tape recorders and samplers to capture and layer sounds, embracing the inherent imperfections of analog equipment to achieve distinctive warmth and character in his tracks.[7][2] This hands-on approach allowed him to explore recording processes independently, often recording in non-traditional settings to integrate environmental elements into his work.[7] At university, Wilkinson encountered influential works in ambient and experimental music, which profoundly shaped his creative direction and led to the creation of his first demo recordings between 1999 and 2002.[7] These exposures inspired him to blend acoustic instrumentation with electronic manipulation, fostering the lo-fi aesthetic that became a hallmark of his early output—characterized by hazy, nostalgic soundscapes derived from degraded tapes and field recordings.[1][7] This foundational experimentation during his studies laid the groundwork for his signature style, emphasizing organic imperfection over polished production.[2]Musical style and influences
Core stylistic elements
Bibio's music is defined by a distinctive fusion of genres, including folktronica, indie pop, ambient, hip-hop, soul, funk, and alternative R&B, which creates atmospheric and adventurous soundscapes through the integration of electronic elements with organic sounds.[13] This blend is characterized by analog lo-fi textures, vintage sampling, and multi-instrumental organic instrumentation, such as acoustic guitars, analog synths, and field recordings, resulting in transporting musical collages that emphasize warmth and spatial depth.[13][2] Central to Bibio's production techniques is the use of tape recording on cassettes, microcassettes, and reel-to-reel machines like the Nagra IV-S, alongside budget samplers such as those employed on early works like Fi and Hand Cranked, to generate grainy, warbly, and noisy textures.[2] Vintage pedals, including 1980s digital delays, further contribute to live looping and added decay, cultivating a "smudged" or hazy quality that prioritizes imperfection and emotional resonance over polished clarity.[2] As Stephen Wilkinson has noted, "a lo-fi recording covered in grain… is less like reality. That can be a very powerful thing," highlighting how these methods evoke dreamlike, impressionistic effects.[2] Bibio's style has evolved from pastoral, nature-inspired folk elements in his early output, drawing on acoustic and ambient foundations, to more upbeat, groovy fusions in later albums that incorporate funk, hip-hop, and indie rock rhythms while maintaining a core of multi-instrumental layering through improvised guitar, piano, and sampled audio.[13][14] This progression remains anchored in lo-fi aesthetics and real-life sonic warmth, transcending strict genre labels like folktronica to explore diverse, nostalgic tapestries.[15] These elements have been shaped by influences such as J Dilla and Boards of Canada, whose approaches to sampling and ambient textures inform Bibio's hazy, layered sound.[13]Key artistic influences
Bibio's primary artistic influences include the minimalism of composer Steve Reich, whose layered guitar techniques profoundly shaped Wilkinson's early approach to multi-tracked acoustic compositions.[16] Wilkinson has cited Reich's Electric Counterpoint as a direct inspiration for viewing the guitar as a "note-making device" rather than a traditional instrument, fostering his experimental textural layering.[17] Similarly, the introspective folk style of Nick Drake informs Bibio's melodic sensitivity and acoustic warmth, with Wilkinson identifying Drake alongside The Incredible String Band as key "folk" touchstones that blend psychedelia with personal narrative.[18] Hip-hop producer J Dilla's innovative sampling and beat-making have also been pivotal, influencing Bibio's rhythmic experimentation and lo-fi production ethos.[17] The ambient electronica of Boards of Canada further contributes to this foundation, evident in Bibio's use of nostalgic, atmospheric soundscapes drawn from their warped, vintage-inspired electronics.[19] Broader musical inspirations encompass funk and soul pioneers such as Sly and the Family Stone and Stevie Wonder, whose groovy, multifaceted arrangements resonate in Bibio's more upbeat, genre-blending works.[15] Wilkinson has highlighted Sly and the Family Stone's psychedelic funk as a core element in his rhythmic palette, while Stevie Wonder represents the pinnacle of soulful, innovative songcraft that filters into his diverse sonic explorations.[20] Electronic duo Daft Punk's playful synthesis and production flair adds a layer of accessible dance energy, complementing Bibio's occasional forays into upbeat electronica.[19] Brazilian artist Marcos Valle's 1970s bossa nova and funk records, particularly Previsão do Tempo, have notably impacted his warmer, tropical-infused grooves.[16] Beyond music, non-musical elements like film photography and vintage media deeply inform Bibio's thematic and textural sensibilities, evoking analog imperfection and optical effects such as bokeh that parallel his hazy, nostalgic aesthetics.[21] As a practicing nature photographer, Wilkinson draws from Victorian-era techniques, including the motion studies of Eadweard Muybridge, to inspire his visual and auditory framing of everyday ephemera.[22] Nature sounds, such as personal field recordings of wind howling through grass, integrate organic environmental textures into his compositions, enhancing their immersive, site-specific quality.[23] These influences manifest briefly in his lo-fi production style, where analog warmth and subtle imperfections create a sense of lived-in authenticity.[2]Career
Early releases on Mush Records (2004–2008)
Stephen Wilkinson, recording as Bibio, first gained professional recognition around 2004 when members of Boards of Canada, including Marcus Eoin, discovered his online demos and recommended him to the independent label Mush Records. This opportunity marked a pivotal shift from his student experiments in sonic arts at Middlesex University to his initial commercial output, allowing him to channel his interests in field recordings and acoustic experimentation into structured releases.[8] Bibio's debut album, Fi, arrived on Mush Records in February 2005, crafted entirely from home setups using malfunctioning lo-fi equipment to blend heavily processed electronics with pastoral acoustic guitar and natural found sounds. The record evoked rural English landscapes through elements like birdsong, wind, and distorted drones, establishing a signature folktronica style that balanced human warmth against artificial abstraction—inspired by the emotive ambience of Boards of Canada and the esoteric electronics of Aphex Twin and Autechre. Tracks such as "Bewley in White" and "Puffer" exemplified this approach, layering breathy melodies over shoegazing haze to create immersive, tension-filled soundscapes.[8] Building on Fi's amorphous foundation, Bibio's follow-up, Hand Cranked, was released in March 2006, also on Mush Records, and refined his aesthetic with more deliberate tape-based production and looped guitar phrases recorded on aging equipment for a weathered, warbling texture. The album emphasized idyllic electronic folk through short, circular compositions featuring filtered highs and lows, evoking an old radio broadcast feel, as heard in pieces like "Cherry Go Round" and "Quantock," which incorporated subtle backward leads and ambient drones to heighten its experimental, pastoral intimacy. This release demonstrated greater structural focus while retaining the lo-fi charm of his earlier work, solidifying Bibio's reputation in the downtempo and instrumental scenes.[24] Over the 2004–2008 period, Bibio issued these two albums on Mush, totaling his foundational output that prioritized conceptual depth in sound design over polished production, drawing from his academic background in sonic arts to explore the interplay of organic and synthetic elements.[25]Signing with Warp and Ambivalence Avenue (2009–2010)
Following the success of his releases on Mush Records, Bibio signed to Warp Records in 2008, a move prompted by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett's enthusiasm for tracks like "Ambivalence Avenue" that Wilkinson had shared during 2006–2008.[26] This transition marked a significant step toward greater commercial reach for the artist, building on his underground lo-fi roots while enabling broader production resources.[27] Bibio's Warp debut, the album Ambivalence Avenue, arrived on June 22, 2009, blending acoustic folk elements with hip-hop beats, electronica, and vintage soul samples to create a warm, eclectic sound inspired by 1970s Brazilian pop.[27][28] Recorded in Wilkinson's small bedroom studio using basic analogue gear, the record featured standout tracks like the summery anthem "Lovers' Carvings," with its crunchy riffs and upbeat percussion, which highlighted his shift toward more accessible, vocal-driven songwriting.[28] Later that year, on November 9, 2009, Bibio released The Apple and the Tooth, a companion piece comprising four original tracks alongside remixes of Ambivalence Avenue material by artists including Clark and Wax Stag, further showcasing his experimental production techniques.[29] The album earned widespread critical praise for its genre fusion, with reviewers noting its fresh, outsider appeal that evoked comparisons to Beck and Fleet Foxes while maintaining Wilkinson's hazy, pastoral aesthetic.[30][31] Aggregated scores reflected strong approval, including a 78/100 on Metacritic from 16 reviews, positioning it as a breakthrough that expanded Bibio's visibility beyond niche electronic circles.[32] To promote the release, Bibio embarked on early DJ-oriented tours across Europe and select international dates in late 2009, including performances at festivals like Le Guess Who? in Utrecht and multi-artist events with Plaid and Hudson Mohawke, which helped cultivate a growing live audience through sets emphasizing his beat-driven sound.[33]Mind Bokeh through Silver Wilkinson (2011–2014)
Following the success of Ambivalence Avenue, Bibio's 2011 album Mind Bokeh marked a continued evolution toward more vibrant and song-oriented material on Warp Records, blending indie pop accessibility with eclectic electronic experimentation. Released on March 29, 2011, in the US and April 4 internationally, the album drew from influences like hip-hop breaks, dense sampling, and Balearic-tinged chillwave, creating a hazy yet upbeat soundscape that incorporated tropicalia elements for a global flavor.[34][35] Tracks such as the opener "Excuses" showcased distorted vocals over crisp beats and synths, earning notable radio airplay and serving as an inviting entry point to Bibio's expanding sonic palette.[36] Other highlights like "Light Seep" featured funky wah-wah guitar and Wurlitzer percussion, emphasizing playful rhythms while retaining lo-fi textures from vintage sources.[34] The album received praise for its production eclecticism but mixed reviews for occasional inconsistencies in form, ultimately boosting Bibio's visibility with a 6.9/10 from Pitchfork.[34] During this period, Bibio expanded his live presence, debuting his first solo electronic performances in 2011 using MIDI controllers and a laptop to remix tracks in real-time, which helped cultivate a growing fanbase through intimate sets at venues like London's The Garage.[37] These shows highlighted his shift to more dynamic, accessible material, aligning with Mind Bokeh's brighter tone and contributing to increased popularity, as evidenced by subsequent tours and festival appearances. Thematically, the album evoked joy through light-hearted synths and acoustic flourishes, often inspired by nature, setting a precedent for Bibio's maturing style that balanced experimentation with emotional warmth.[38] Bibio's 2013 follow-up, Silver Wilkinson, further refined this accessible indie pop direction while nodding to his real name, Stephen Wilkinson, through its title—a subtle play on "silver" evoking his surname's metallic sheen. Released on May 13, 2013, via Warp, the album embraced upbeat funk, soul, and folk elements, produced primarily with vintage gear including cassettes, dictaphones, and lo-fi samplers to achieve a warm, analog glow.[39] Tracks like "Dye the Water Green" and "The First Daffodils" exemplified this with pastoral lyrics celebrating nature's renewal—daffodils blooming and verdant landscapes—infused with Dilla-inspired hip-hop grooves and glammy power pop hooks for an inclusive, joyful vibe.[40] "Wulf" added a melancholic edge with layered synths and emotive vocals, but the overall record prioritized streamlined, filmic panoramas over dense abstraction.[41] The album's reach extended beyond music releases when Bibio contributed original scores and tracks to the 2014 film Men, Women & Children, directed by Jason Reitman, including "Dye the Water Green," "Buried Matchbox," and "Preen Your Own Wings," which complemented the movie's themes of human connection with melancholic yet uplifting electronics.[42] This period solidified Bibio's rising profile, with Silver Wilkinson earning acclaim for its cohesive warmth (6.2/10 from Pitchfork) and thematic focus on natural beauty and subtle euphoria, while live performances evolved to incorporate band elements for fuller expressions of his pop-leaning sound.[40]A Mineral Love and Phantom Brickworks (2016–2018)
Following the release of Silver Wilkinson in 2013, Bibio entered a creative phase marked by genre experimentation, culminating in two distinct albums that highlighted his versatility. In 2016, he issued A Mineral Love, his seventh studio album on Warp Records, which drew heavily from 1970s soul and funk traditions through a blend of original compositions and reinterpretations.[20] The record featured prominent acoustic guitar work alongside vintage synthesizers, creating a warm, pastiche-driven sound that evoked relaxed joyfulness and surreal soundscapes.[43] Tracks like "Feeling" and "Why So Serious?" (featuring Olivier St. Louis) exemplified this approach, incorporating funky wah-wah guitars and spiraling keys to channel nostalgic American influences, including echoes of Stevie Wonder's rhythmic and harmonic playbook.[44] Critics praised the album for its innovative balance of retro homage and contemporary collage techniques, with Pitchfork noting its refreshing departure from more laborious efforts, and The Guardian highlighting its spritely, nature-infused balminess.[43][45] Shifting toward ambient exploration, Bibio released Phantom Brickworks in 2017, also on Warp, as an hour-long drone project comprising improvisational recordings.[46] Inspired by disused industrial sites across Britain—such as abandoned factories, quarries, and other scars on the landscape—the album used field recordings and minimalist structures to evoke haunting, atmospheric reflections on human impact.[47] Pieces like "09:13" and "Pantglas" progressed slowly through layered ambient tones and muffled elements, fostering immersive, self-contained worlds without beats or overt melodies.[48] This work marked a pivot to hauntological ambient, distinct from Bibio's pop-leaning output, and received acclaim for its masterful atmospheric depth, earning a 9/10 from The Line of Best Fit for stripping away genre patchwork in favor of pure environmental meditation.[49] Together, these releases underscored Bibio's transitional innovation, blending nostalgia with experimental minimalism to critical approval.[50]Ribbons and Bib10 (2019–2023)
In 2019, Bibio released his ninth studio album, Ribbons, marking a return to melodic indie folk after the ambient explorations of his previous work. The album features acoustic instrumentation including nylon- and steel-string guitars, mandolin, violin, harp, and banjo, blended with subtle electronic elements like electric piano and Mellotron, evoking old-timey jigs and reels.[51] Tracks such as "Curls" and "Quarters" explore themes of memory, longing, and loss, with lyrics reflecting on forgiveness and the passage of time amid pastoral imagery of nature and escapism.[51][52] The artwork, designed by Bibio himself, depicts his portrait framed by an English woodland scene adorned with spring bluebells and ribbons, symbolizing the analogue tapes and films central to his creative process.[53] Following a period of reduced output, Bibio issued his tenth studio album, BIB10, in October 2022 on Warp Records, described as a celebratory collection blending grooves, synths, guitars, and funk influences with a polished yet organic feel.[54][55] The record includes collaborations with singer-songwriter Olivier St. Louis on tracks like "S.O.L." and "Cinnamon Cinematic," drawing from 1960s and 1970s production techniques while recontextualizing Bibio's signature style.[56] Key songs such as "Off Goes The Light" and "Potion" highlight upbeat, guitar-driven energy, positioning the album as an ode to his two decades of recording.[57][58] From 2019 to 2023, Bibio maintained a selective release schedule, prioritizing studio-based creation and visual integration over extensive touring, consistent with his preference for solitary production in rural settings.[59] This era emphasized personal themes of introspection and nature, with no major concert tours documented, allowing focus on evolving his folk and electronic hybrid sound.[60]Phantom Brickworks (LP II) and ongoing projects (2024–present)
In November 2024, Bibio released Phantom Brickworks (LP II) on Warp Records, serving as a sequel to his 2017 ambient project of the same name.[4] The album comprises 10 tracks drawn from the original sessions, including previously unreleased material such as the 2013 recording "Dowt the Light," with roots tracing back to experiments conducted in 2006 and 2007.[10] This follow-up expands on the precursor's exploration of human imprints in Britain's declining industrial landscapes, incorporating new sites like submerged quarries and forgotten quarries that evoke myths and local memories.[4] The sound emphasizes drone and industrial soundscapes, blending austere ambient tones with woeful drones, distant echoes, tape hiss, and crackle to create haunting, melancholic textures.[2] Bibio has discussed the album's creation in late 2024 interviews, highlighting tape-based techniques central to its lo-fi aesthetic. He employed 1980s digital delay pedals for improvised live looping, generating smeared and decaying loops, alongside reel-to-reel machines like the AKAI 1710W and cassette recorders to achieve warbly, saturated effects that balance grainy imperfection with hi-fi clarity.[10][2] Inspirations stem from visits to disused brickworks and other abandoned UK sites, particularly in Welsh landscapes, where the atmospheres of decay and natural reclamation informed the music's impressionistic, site-specific quality.[10] The project incorporates folk instrumentation, such as droney baritone guitar, to weave personal narratives of nostalgia and environmental change.[10] As of November 2025, Bibio has not released a new solo album this year, though he contributed to Kelly Moran's Don't Trust Mirrors (October 1, 2025) and featured on the track "An Unopened Letter" from her album Miniatures (November 14, 2025).[61] Phantom Brickworks remains an ongoing endeavor, with sufficient archival material for potentially five additional albums under its banner.[10] He continues experimenting with vintage gear, including plans to incorporate harp, church organs, and MIDI-controllable fairground organs into future ambient works.[2] Bibio has expressed interest in expanding visual collaborations, leveraging his photography—evident in the album's limited-edition hand-stamped prints—to complement lo-fi preservation efforts in sound and image.[4] This aligns with his shift toward rural Wales, where studio-based ambient EPs may further develop these themes without live performances, due to ongoing tinnitus concerns.[10]Live performances and visual work
Concert history and touring
Bibio, the stage name of Stephen Wilkinson, has maintained a notably sparse concert history, prioritizing studio production over extensive live performances throughout his career. His engagements have been infrequent, largely confined to promotional periods around key album releases, with a clear preference for electronic and DJ formats rather than full band setups. This approach stems from Wilkinson's discomfort with stage performance and the challenges of replicating his intricate, overdub-heavy recordings in a live context.[62] Following the release of his 2009 album Ambivalence Avenue on Warp Records, Wilkinson embarked on a DJ tour across Europe in late 2009 and into 2010, featuring sets that highlighted tracks from the album alongside his broader catalog. These performances included appearances at venues such as Tivoli de Helling in Utrecht, Netherlands, on November 28, 2009, and Rex Club in Paris, France, on January 7, 2010, often blending electronic elements with his folk-infused sound. The tour emphasized his role as a solo DJ, allowing for flexibility in mixing without the demands of a traditional band configuration.[63][37] In 2011, Wilkinson shifted to a series of solo electronic live sets to promote Mind Bokeh, utilizing MIDI controllers and a laptop to remix material from both Ambivalence Avenue and the new release. Representative shows included performances at Vooruit in Ghent, Belgium, on May 6, and The Garage in London, UK, on May 27, where he performed as a lone musician focused on sampling and electronic manipulation. These sets underscored his experimental style but remained limited in scope, avoiding large-scale production.[37][63] Wilkinson's live appearances tapered off after 2011, with occasional festival slots and Warp Records showcases extending into 2014, such as performances at Elevate Festival in Graz, Austria (October 2013), Gretchen in Berlin (January 2014), and TAICOCLUB in Kiso, Japan (May 2014). He also returned briefly for DJ sets in Japan in 2019, including shows in Tokyo (November 1), Kyoto (November 2), and Osaka. No full band tours materialized, reflecting his aversion to the format; instead, he participated in select electronic or DJ spots without committing to extended road schedules. Post-2014, activity remained minimal, with no further concerts recorded as of November 2025, influenced by personal factors including stage fright and a desire to avoid the physical toll of touring.[63][26] The sparsity of Bibio's touring can be attributed to Wilkinson's deep investment in studio craftsmanship, where he layers field recordings, acoustic instruments, and electronic elements in ways that prove difficult to adapt live without compromising the music's intimacy and detail. In interviews, he has expressed unease with performing, describing it as unnatural and distracting from his core creative process, akin to expecting a painter to recreate work on stage. Health concerns, including tinnitus exacerbated by loud environments, and the stress of travel—marked by poor sleep, anxiety, and disrupted routines—further deter him from regular tours, especially as he has aged beyond his 20s and 30s. Wilkinson has noted past international travels for shows, including one in Japan, but emphasizes that financial stability allows him to forgo touring obligations, reinforcing his studio-centric ethos.[59][64][10][62]Artwork and visual media
Stephen Wilkinson, known as Bibio, has developed a distinctive multimedia practice that integrates his skills in film photography and analog techniques into the visual identity of his releases. For his debut album Fi (2005), the cover artwork derives from a still captured on Super 8 film, reflecting his early experimentation with lo-fi visual methods that parallel the album's folktronica soundscapes. Similarly, the artwork for Ribbons (2019) was designed by Wilkinson himself, drawing on motifs of endless ribbons symbolizing analogue tape and film strips used in his broader creative process, including photography and cinematic endeavors. These self-produced visuals emphasize a tactile, nostalgic aesthetic, often incorporating grainy textures and natural motifs to evoke the organic imperfection central to his artistry.[65][66] In the Phantom Brickworks series, Wilkinson's visual contributions extend this approach, with album artwork inspired by his photographic documentation of forgotten British landscapes, such as abandoned quarries and rural decay, using cameras like the Leica MP and Mamiya 7ii to capture evocative, atmospheric images that inform the project's haunting themes. This ambient-focused work, including the sequel Phantom Brickworks (LP II) (released November 2024), underscores how his photography influences thematic elements across his discography, creating a cohesive visual narrative distinct from his audio production while collaborating with Warp Records on packaging that highlights these analog elements. His images often serve as portals to the same sense of place and memory explored in the music, blending personal fieldwork with professional design.[10][67] Wilkinson's involvement in visual media extends to directing music videos, where he frequently employs nature-inspired and lo-fi aesthetics to complement his tracks. He co-directed the video for "À Tout À L'Heure" (2011) from Silver Wilkinson, utilizing 8mm film footage of natural scenery layered against silhouettes and instrumentation to create a dreamy, introspective mood. Other self-directed works include "Dye the Water Green" (2014), filmed and edited with collaborator Michael Robinson using additional found footage to evoke murky, immersive environments, and "Curls" (2019) from Ribbons, which he produced with Peter Marsden to mirror the album's rustic warmth through intimate, organic visuals. More recently, he directed the video for "Dorothea's Bed" (2024) from Phantom Brickworks (LP II), shot 40 meters underground in a North Wales slate mine to capture atmospheric, site-specific imagery. Self-taught in videography, Wilkinson views these projects as extensions of his passion for recording, often shooting on location to infuse his videos with the same analog authenticity as his photography.[39][68][69][70]Discography
Studio albums
Bibio's studio albums demonstrate his evolution from lo-fi folktronica to more eclectic electronic and ambient explorations, primarily released on Mush Records initially and then Warp Records. Fi (February 8, 2005; Mush Records) is his debut full-length album, blending acoustic guitar, field recordings, and electronic elements in a folktronica style. Key tracks include "Bewley in White" and "Puffer," which highlight the album's intimate, psychedelic sound. It did not achieve notable chart performance.[71][8] Hand Cranked (March 7, 2006; Mush Records) builds on the debut with a focus on mechanical, music-box-like textures using treated guitars and synths. Key tracks include "Taddletale" and "The Loop," emphasizing lo-fi acoustic and electronic fusion. No significant chart positions were recorded.[72][24] Vignetting the Compost (February 3, 2009; Mush Records) introduces more structured melodies and vocals alongside experimental soundscapes. Key tracks include "Flesh Rots, Pip Sown" and "Mr. & Mrs. Compost," showcasing a shift toward orderly folk-electronica arrangements. The album did not chart prominently.[73] Ambivalence Avenue (June 22, 2009; Warp Records) marks Bibio's major-label debut, mixing ambient pop, hip-hop influences, and '70s-style themes in an eclectic format. Key tracks include "Lovers' Carvings," "Jealous of Roses," and the title track, which blend crisp guitars with bouncy flutes and vocals. It reached the top 20 on the U.S. Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[74][75] Mind Bokeh (April 25, 2011; Warp Records) draws inspiration from photographic blur effects, incorporating psych-pop and house elements with hazy, dreamy production. Key tracks include "Excuses" and "K Is for Kelson." The album reached number 6 on the U.S. Heatseekers Albums chart and number 195 on the UK Albums Chart.[75] Silver Wilkinson (May 27, 2013; Warp Records) balances pastoral folk instrumentation with experimental electronics, evoking rural landscapes through layered guitars and beats. Key tracks include "Dye the Water Green" and "You," featuring a mix of upbeat rhythms and ambient interludes. It entered the top 20 on the U.S. Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[75] A Mineral Love (April 1, 2016; Warp Records) evokes nostalgia with '70s/'80s TV themes and '90s dance influences, featuring collaborations like with Gotye. Key tracks include "Why So Serious?" and "Feeling," blending soft rock grooves with electronic touches. The album peaked at number 9 on the U.S. Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[75] Phantom Brickworks (November 3, 2017; Warp Records) consists of ambient, site-specific compositions evoking real and imagined locations with minimalistic guitar and field recordings. Key tracks include "09:13" and "Pantglas," creating atmospheric portraits of abandoned spaces. No major chart performance was noted.[46] Ribbons (April 12, 2019; Warp Records) returns to acoustic roots with mandolin, fiddle, and vintage psychedelia, emphasizing live instrumentation and folk warmth. Key tracks include "Frond" and "Censor," highlighting intricate string arrangements and gentle melodies. The album did not achieve significant chart positions.[76] BIB10 (October 21, 2022; Warp Records) is a collaborative studio album with singer Olivier St. Louis, fusing funk, soft rock, and Brazilian rhythms using vintage guitars and soulful vocals. Key tracks include "S.O.L" and "Fools," showcasing groovy, sun-kissed productions. No prominent chart entries were recorded.[75] Phantom Brickworks (LP II) (November 22, 2024; Warp Records) serves as a sequel, expanding on ambient themes with haunting evocations of derelict buildings and natural decay through subtle electronics and acoustics. Key tracks include "Cemaes" and "Clytha Castle," continuing the series' focus on place-inspired soundscapes. It peaked at number 72 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[77][78]EPs and compilations
Bibio has released over a dozen extended plays across his career, primarily serving as platforms for experimental soundscapes, lo-fi folktronica, and ambient improvisations that complement his studio albums without overlapping their thematic scope. These EPs often emerged from personal demos or site-specific inspirations, bridging transitional phases in his discography—such as early Mush Records outings that refined his tape-loop techniques or later Warp releases exploring rural atmospheres.[25][79] Early EPs like Tench (2005, Mush Records) marked Bibio's shift from self-released cassettes to more structured releases, featuring six tracks of intimate, field-recorded acoustic pieces that evoked a sense of nostalgic reverie. This work laid foundational elements of his signature blend of organic instrumentation and subtle electronics, influencing subsequent explorations. Similarly, K Is for Kelson (2009, Mush Records) collected four unreleased demos from his formative years, emphasizing raw guitar loops and environmental sounds to highlight his evolution from bedroom producer to label artist. With his move to Warp Records, The Apple and the Tooth (2010) represented a polished yet playful extension of his psych-folk leanings, comprising five tracks that incorporated vintage synths and rhythmic grooves, acting as a precursor to the eclectic Ambivalence Avenue.[80] In more recent years, ambient-focused EPs such as Phantom Brickworks IV & V (2018, Warp Records) delved into minimalist, location-inspired compositions—drawing from Welsh quarries and landscapes—with extended drone pieces that underscore Bibio's interest in atmospheric immersion over narrative structure. Subsequent releases include the remix-focused S.O.L. EP (March 2023, Warp Records) featuring reworkings of the BIB10 track "S.O.L.", the collaborative Sunbursting EP (September 2023, Warp Records) with new songs alongside Olivier St. Louis, and Beyond Serious EP (2024, Warp Records) expanding on ambient and electronic themes.| EP Title | Release Year | Label | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tench | 2005 | Mush Records | Lo-fi acoustics, tape experiments (6 tracks) |
| K Is for Kelson | 2009 | Mush Records | Demo collection, field recordings (4 tracks) |
| The Apple and the Tooth | 2010 | Warp Records | Psych-folk grooves, synth integration (5 tracks) |
| Ovals and Emeralds | 2009 | Mush Records | Folktronica loops, transitional demos (5 tracks) |
| T.O.Y.S. | 2011 | Warp Records | Toy instrument explorations (4 tracks) |
| The Green EP | 2014 | Warp Records | Pastoral folk electronics (4 tracks) |
| The Serious EP | 2016 | Warp Records | Moody ambient shifts (4 tracks) |
| Phantom Brickworks IV & V | 2018 | Warp Records | Improvised drones, site-specific ambiance (2 tracks) |
| S.O.L. EP | 2023 | Warp Records | Remixes of "S.O.L" track (4 tracks) |
| Sunbursting EP | 2023 | Warp Records | New collaborative songs (7 tracks) |
| Beyond Serious EP | 2024 | Warp Records | Ambient and electronic explorations (4 tracks) |
