Sleep On The Wing - Bibio: Review
is the long running English folk project of producer and multi-instrumentalist Stephen James Wilkinson. He has released a number of records over the past fifteen years to various levels of critical success highlighted by his break-out Ambivalence Avenue in 2009 and his experiment with ambient music Phantom Brickworks in 2017.
Review By Lavender:
Bibio has long been one of those artists that I stop to listen to pretty much every time he drops anything even though no single project of his has ever blown me away. The closest he came was with his ambient project Phantom Brickworks and I had hoped that in the wake of that release his folk oriented music would please me more than ever before. While his last record Ribbons was decent I think that the short but sweet Sleep On The Wing is a better interpolation of ambiance into his sound.
The record was kicked off with two singles that fit in line with much of Bibio's past works. The title track and opener Sleep On The Wing is a single I quite enjoyed. The track is a simple yet blissful piece of indie folk with instrumentation that feels rustic and dated in a way that adds a lot of charm to the slow developing sounds. The other single I didn't enjoy quite as much in Oakmoss. The biggest issue I have with the song is the vocals are so faint and fragile in a way that makes the whole song fail to add up to much. Paired with one of the less interesting instrumentals here and I tend to pass on the song.
At under half an hour and only 10 tracks there isn't a whole lot to dissect here yet the record pulls some varied stylistic punches. A Couple Swim is a string heavy piece that I think is handled really well. The song does end completely out of nowhere though and given how short the record is I would have enjoyed hearing this track going on a little longer to a proper finale. Lightspout Hollow on the other hand is a much brighter and sweeter tune with some planky keys placed front and center in the mix. While it is a bit of a jarring transition from the last track it quickly settles into something really catchy and pleasant over the next two and a half minutes or so. Miss Blennerhassett is a track that reminds me a ton of Bibio's last record, like an uncomfortable amount. It is short and to the point and I enjoy it but it sounds so similar that I wonder if it is a leftover track from last years.
Awpokes is a short but pretty charming guitar piece that adds some complexity and backing arrangements in the second half and make for a pretty engaging addition to the record. Otter Shadows is one of the shortest tracks here yet I really enjoy it and wish it was longer. Not only does it have some of the boldest sonic moments on the record but it is also pretty damn catchy. I really enjoyed the embellished strings and soft electronic murmur that laces the track.
Not all of the shorter tracks make their presence on the record worthwhile however. Crocus is a borderline ambient piece that is quieter than a lot of track. It runs through a really short progression twice before fading out completely out of nowhere. The closing track Watching Thus, The Heron Is All Pool is a bit of an uninspired closing moment to the album which is made up almost entirely of a wandering guitar passage. It is decent on the ears but that is pretty much it. Unfortunately my least favorite track of the bunch is the longest song here The Milk Way Over Ratlinghop. It oulls most of its creative punches like the rising swells of instrumentation and vocals over top of the mix in the very first minute of the song. From then on it just feels like it's waiting for an appropriate time to stop which never comes up to the track just fading out.
Sleep On The Wing isn't always the strongest from a songwriting point of view by nearly all of the 30 minute runtime is sweet on the ears. The wiry folk instrumentation is classic in its hazy presentation and rough mixing and the result is a blissful sensation that lasts throughout. While Bibio has once again fallen short of blowing me away if indie folk if your bag this record is definitely worth a listen, and if you were curious enough to read a review it is a sure thing that you should check the record out. 6/10
Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:
Cool Concept! I think the childlike illustration brings the concept to life and helps it shine rather than being weighed down by complicated overly detailed imagery. The placement of the bird seems a little too big and I would've shrunk it some and also changed the color palette to something with a little more life. It seems a little flat but otherwise is a successful cover.
For more indie folk check out my review of The Magnetic Fields Quickies here
