Queen Bonobo | Light Shadow Boom Boom
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If you would count yourself among the passionate fanbase of the ever growing Belfast music scene or even the bustling Derry scene for that matter then you've probably already came across the always roaming Queen Bonobo. For anyone with even a pinky finger on the pulse of NI music Maya Goldbloom the human behind the Queen Bonobo monikor has been popping up everywhere since her release of Light Shadow Boom Boom her Psychedelic Jazz-Folk Infused Debut record.
Queen Bonobo first popped up on the Year Spaceship Radar back in February at Output Belfast a showcase event in the Oh Yeah Music Centre. As Wynona Bleach and Hot Cops shook the main venue space downstairs, droves of music fans made their way around the tightly packed schedule of showcases and just as tightly packed corridors of the old converted whiskey warehouse. Some eventually found themselves in the intimate confines of Start Together Studio the beautiful recording space used by a plethora of Artists to capture their musical projects in a soothing environment of exposed brick, fairy lights and more gear than that of your mates experimental math rock band. It is here that we were first intrigued by the blend of Queen Bonobos band, all jazz-lounge swagger and Maya's unique voice earthy, free-flowing and altogether refreshingly different.
From that moment we were hungry to hear more if not a little trepidatious, Queen Bonobo is an artist we would urge you to experience live if you ever get the chance but would it be difficult to transfer that live energy onto a record? Nope apparently not, from the neo noir cinema dripping off of "Light Me Up" to the psychedelic synth swells and face scrunching baselines of "MFGB" this album holds surprises round every corner veering off the beaten path just when you thought you knew where you were going and this is precisely what makes the album such an interesting exploration of beautifully abstract musicianship paired perfectly with abstract ideas of self love, mental health and the ability to feel comfortable in ones own skin.
I found myself constantly coming back to "Spin Me" one of my personal favourites beginning with surreal almost eerie instrumentation and a bossa nova like rhythm it eventually opens up into the most glorious of tone changes for the chorus, the song is ever changing throughout its 4 minute run-time with ambient bustling crowds and a hypnotising break that brings it all to a close and perfectly sums up just how wonderfully eclectic this album is. Likewise the introspective "Honey" is just as addictive with its warm chord progressions, instrumentally it's not a million miles away from something you'd catch on an Anderson .Paak record (maybe fittingly just a bit less bass kick though) and lyrically its unhinged soulfulness grips you as the chorus kicks in with "Gold cover me, teach me to be alone"
Maya has been turning heads most recently with glowing reviews in various online publications, a healthy dose of radio airplay, a beautiful stripped back YouTube session for The Live Room Belfast and some great live shows including a set at this years Stendhal festival and a recent night at the Zool Warehouse which for those in the know has been the go to spot for some of the countries most interesting and breaking artists. We recommend jumping over to her socials (Insta, FB) to keep an eye out for more live dates in the future and slide Light Shadow Boom Boom into your new music playlists below.
About The Author - Mike Ledgerwood is co-founder of The Year Spaceship Artist Collective and former guitarist of Hit The B Button. You can find him on Instagram (@hungry_gh0st) enthusiastically being sad to The Cure whilst receiving unconditional love from his dog Arlo.