Review: Bonobo & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Pay Homage To 80’s Dance & Disco In ‘Heartbreak’

Bonobo x Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs | Heartbreak | OUTLIER

Single Release Date: 23 September, 2020

“12 & B-Side Release Date: 13 November, 2020

Collaborations with other creatives are one of the main driving forces that allow all of us to grow; we learn from one another, our unique take on our crafts granting the other new knowledge, insight and ingenuity in our creations – working together allows us to take on a distinct approach as we flourish as artists, building communities of that cultivate creativity as we thrive together.

With this being said, beloved producer Simon Green – otherwise known as the iconic Grammy award nominee Bonobo; has teamed up with producer, DJ, vocalist and pianist Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs in a brand new single release entitled ‘Heartbreak’ – the lead single on a brand new “12 set to be officially, physically released on November 13th, alongside a b-side track by the name of ‘6000 Ft.’

The collaborative single is not the only partnership involved with this new endeavour: ‘Heartbreak’ comes not only with a UK rave inspired visual by Director Tom Andrew, but as the very first release on Bonobo’s brand new label ‘OUTLIER’ working in partnership with esteemed electronic label Ninja Tune. As the first release on OUTLIER, Green stated:

(The new imprint will) reflect the more club focused side of what I’m building with OUTLIER. ‘Heartbreak’ seems like a good starting point and was the track that became the catalyst to start the label. One for the dance floors in a time when they’re dearly missed.

Rolling in with energetic percussion and fluttering synthesizers, Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs have whipped up something quite extraordinary together, portraying both artist’s unique ability to genre-bend and experiment within all musical areas. Sampling dance-songstress Christine Wiltshire’s iconic vocal line “I can’t take the heartbreak” from the ‘83 disco anthem “Weekend” by Class Action, the track is a clear-cut homage to 80’s and 90’s dance music – but with a twist:

(Visualiser Strobe Warning)

Spiralling melodies, robust and body-moving beats dance atop atmospheric sampling and effect-drenched textures creating a cohesive, fluid listening experience fit for any dancefloor, club or living room.

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Feature Image: Bonobo & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs by Grant Sapier