Few artists have managed to evolve as gracefully as Simon Green, better known as Bonobo.
Across a career spanning a quarter of a century, the British producer has continuously expanded the possibilities of electronic music, moving effortlessly between downtempo, organic house, jazz-infused textures and cinematic sound design. Now, as the Bonobo project celebrates its 25th anniversary, Green has announced a new studio album that appears to reflect both his artistic journey and an uncertain future.
Titled Distance In Static, the album arrives via Ninja Tune on September 11th, 2026, bringing together fourteen new compositions and an impressive cast of collaborators from across the contemporary music spectrum.
The announcement arrives alongside the release of “Me And You,” a club-focused single that attentive fans may already recognize from Green’s recent DJ sets and intimate pop-up performances in London and Paris. While the track leans towards the dancefloor, it also hints at the emotional depth and melodic sensibility that have become defining characteristics of Bonobo’s work.
The new album features contributions from an eclectic lineup of artists, including Arooj Aftab, Joy Crookes, Nilüfer Yanya, Ichiko Aoba, Nicole Miglis, Aanya Martin and Kanako Yamamoto. The diverse guest list reflects Bonobo’s longstanding ability to bring together musicians from vastly different backgrounds while maintaining a cohesive artistic vision.
Recorded across Los Angeles, Tokyo and London, Distance In Static is perhaps Bonobo’s most geographically expansive project to date. A significant portion of the album was completed at Neil Young’s legendary Broken Arrow Ranch in California, a location whose isolated atmosphere appears to have influenced the record’s reflective mood.
The album’s global perspective extends beyond its recording locations.
According to the announcement, the project incorporates lyrics in English, Urdu and Japanese, alongside historic Iranian samples and recordings of the traditional Chinese guzheng. These elements continue Green’s long-standing fascination with cultural exchange and sonic exploration, themes that have remained central to Bonobo’s music since his earliest releases.
What makes the announcement particularly significant, however, is Green’s accompanying statement regarding the future of the project.
Reflecting on where Bonobo might go next, he suggested that Distance In Static could represent the final chapter of a format that has defined much of his career.
“It’s probably the last go-around the track in this format,” Green explained. “I don’t know what that future will look like just yet, but it’s really about me redefining how to be a musician from here.”
While he stopped short of describing the album as a farewell, the comments suggest an artist actively reconsidering his creative process after decades of success.
That possibility gives the record additional weight.
For years, Bonobo albums have followed a recognizable structure: a collection of carefully crafted studio collaborations followed by an extensive live-band world tour. That formula helped transform Green from a respected producer into one of electronic music’s most celebrated live performers, capable of translating intricate studio productions into dynamic concert experiences.
If Distance In Static truly marks the conclusion of that approach, it represents the end of a significant era not only for Bonobo but for contemporary electronic music more broadly.
The tracklist itself suggests a record designed to embrace the full spectrum of Bonobo’s musical identity.
From opening pieces such as “Dawn” and “Cycles” to collaborative highlights like “Fire On The Water” featuring Arooj Aftab and “Always On Your Side” with Joy Crookes, the album appears to balance intimate songwriting with expansive instrumental arrangements. Elsewhere, Nilüfer Yanya, Ichiko Aoba and Nicole Miglis bring their distinct voices into Green’s sonic world, while tracks like “Shokoufeh”, “ID700” and “Mercury” hint at more exploratory territory.
The timing feels appropriate.
As electronic music continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace, Bonobo remains one of the few artists capable of bridging multiple generations of listeners. His work appeals equally to dedicated dance music audiences, indie fans, jazz enthusiasts and those drawn to more cinematic forms of electronic composition.
That broad appeal has never been accidental.
Throughout his career, Green has consistently prioritized emotion over trend, creating music that feels personal, human and timeless even as styles and scenes shift around him.
Whether Distance In Static ultimately becomes the final Bonobo album in its traditional form remains to be seen.
What is certain is that it arrives at a pivotal moment in Simon Green’s career — a moment defined not by nostalgia, but by curiosity about what comes next.
Twenty-five years after Bonobo first emerged, the project continues to evolve.
And if this truly is the end of one chapter, it appears to be opening the door to an entirely new one.
Tracklist
01. Dawn
02. Cycles
03. Fire On The Water feat. Arooj Aftab
04. Drift
05. Talk To Me feat. Nicole Miglis
06. Uncasually
07. Always On Your Side feat. Joy Crookes
08. Youth’s Fountain feat. Nilüfer Yanya
09. Shokoufeh
10. Can’t You See feat. Aanya Martin
11. ID700
12. Me And You
13. Equinoctial feat. Ichiko Aoba
14. Mercury feat. Kanako Yamamoto
Release Date: September 11, 2026
Label: Ninja Tune
