Bonobo at the Ace Theater shot by Danielle Gornbein

It definitely was not your typical, mundane Monday evening at the Theater at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The beautiful movie palace hosted a sold-out show for Bonobo. The musical project is that of UK producer and multi-instrumentalist, Simon Green. Green has been one of this century’s downtempo leaders since his startup album Animal Magic in the early 2000’s off his still-current label, Ninja Tune. With five records under his belt, he most recently put out his sixth, Migration, which has just been lauded with positive feedback since its January release. Bonobo is no stranger to guest vocals that bring the ideas Green has to life, and this latest record is no different. With tracks featuring Nick Murphy (Chet Faker) and R&B’s Rhye, Migration has actually been reviewed as Green’s most sophisticated work of his career yet.

LA responded so well to hearing some of Bonobo favorites as well as the new material. Simon Green has such a serious talent and his art is purely original. He is not just your average “DJ”. What I think sets him apart from others in a similar craft is the beautiful show he puts on. He’s a 12-piece band that features a string quartet, a brass section, and the beautiful woodwind flute alongside the guitars, keys and drums. It truly takes his electronic music to another level which I believe anybody could enjoy. With that said, we did get treated to the vocal stylings of Szjerdene Mulcare. The London contributor captivated the crowds all night on various tracks with the never-disappointing projections behind her that displayed gorgeous, abstract flickers going along with the music.

This not-so-mundane Monday turned into an overwhelmingly pleasant dance party at one of our finest venues. I can now add this to my list of favorite shows at the Ace, alongside Explosions in The Sky.

You can still catch Bonobo in the desert for Weekend 2 of Coachella!

Words & Photos: Danielle Gornbein