Black Sands (album)

Black Sands
Black Sands
Studio album by Bonobo
Released	29 March 2010
Genre	Electronica ; nu jazz ; new-age ; trip hop ; chill-out ;
Length	55:06
Label	Ninja Tune
Bonobo chronology

Last updated July 27, 2025

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	73/100^[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[3]
BBC	(positive)^[4]
Drowned In Sound	7/10^[5]
Mojo	^[6]
musicOMH	^[7]
PopMatters	^[8]
Q	^[9]
Sputnikmusic (emeritus)	3.5/5^[10]
The Times	^[11]
Tiny Mix Tapes	^[12]

Black Sands is the fourth studio album by English producer Bonobo. It was released on 29 March 2010.

Artwork

The cover features a photograph taken of Derwentwater,^[13] in northern England. The tower in the background is located in Castlerigg ( 54°35′29.95″N3°7′3.43″W / 54.5916528°N 3.1176194°W / 54.5916528; -3.1176194 ).

Track listing

All tracks written and performed by Bonobo.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Prelude"	1:18
2.	"Kiara"	3:50
3.	"Kong"	3:58
4.	"Eyesdown" (featuring Andreya Triana)	5:26
5.	"El Toro"	3:44
6.	"We Could Forever"	4:20
7.	"1009"	4:30
8.	"All in Forms"	4:52
9.	"The Keeper" (featuring Andreya Triana)	4:49
10.	"Stay the Same" (featuring Andreya Triana)	4:45
11.	"Animals"	6:45
12.	"Black Sands"	6:49

Japanese edition bonus track
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Brace Brace"	7:02

Personnel

Credits for Black Sands adapted from album liner notes.^[14]

Bonobo – piano (tracks 1 & 12), bass (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10), upright bass (tracks 1, 11 & 12), guitars (tracks 3, 8, 9 & 11), classical guitar (tracks 5, 10 & 12), mandolin (track 12), keyboards (tracks 3, 8, 10 & 11), Fender Rhodes (tracks 5, 6 & 9), harmonium (tracks 1, 6 & 12), harp (track 4), xylophone (track 12), music box (track 10)
Andreya Triana – vocals (tracks 4, 9 & 10)
Mike Simmonds – violins (tracks 1, 2, 5 & 12), violas (track 5)
Mike Lesirge – flute (tracks 5 & 12), saxophone (track 5), clarinet (track 12)
Alan Hardiman – trombone (tracks 5 & 12)
Ryan Jacob – trumpet (tracks 5 & 12)
Jack Wyllie – saxophone (tracks 10)
Tom Chant – saxophone, bass clarinet (tracks 11)
Graham Fox – drums (track 11)
Jack Baker – drums (track 12)

Use in media

"All In Forms", appeared in the film House at the End of the Street in 2012.^[15] Additionally, "Kong" can be heard during a scene in an artist's studio in the eighth episode of the second season of House of Cards ,^[16] and Eyesdown can be heard in the background in the restaurant in the second episode of the third season of The Newsroom .^{[ citation needed ]} The song "Black Sands" is the title-song of the French 2015-movie 'The Measure of a Man'. "Kiara" also appears in the video game Sleeping Dogs.

Awards

As of November 2016, it was certified silver by British Phonographic Industry for 60,000 sold units in UK.^[17] As of January 20, 2017 it has sold 72,756 copies in UK.^[18]

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[19]	Gold	100,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1 2 Jones, Richard (12 January 2017). "Complete Guide: Bonobo". Clash. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
↑ "Metacritic". Metacritic . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
↑ Hoffman, K. Ross. "Review: Black Sands". Allmusic . Retrieved 27 March 2010.
↑ "Music - Review of Bonobo - Black Sands". BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
↑ Raoul, Vyvian. "Album Review: Bonobo - Black Sands". Drowned In Sound . Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
↑ "Mojo review". Mojo : 97. May 2010.
↑ "musicOMH review". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
↑ Hung, Estella. "Bonobo: Black Sands < PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
↑ "Black Sands". Q : 117. May 2010.
↑ Observer. "Sputnikmusic review". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved 20 March 2021.
↑ Clay, Joe (27 March 2010). "Bonobo Black Sands". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011.
↑ Bruce, Gordon. "Tiny Mix Tapes review". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
↑ "Bonobo - Black Sands — Oscar & Ewan". Oscarandewan.se. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
↑ Black Sands (liner notes). Bonobo. Ninja Tune. 2010. ZENCD140.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ "House at the End of the Street". 21 September 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2016– via IMDb.
↑ "Just Isn't Music – 10/03/14 Bonobo 'Kong' used in House of Cards s02e08". Justisntmusic.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑ "Official Charts Analysis: The xx claim No.1 spot with third album I See You". Music Week. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
↑ "British album certifications – Bonobo – Blacks Sands". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 27 May 2022.

External links

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[clash-1] 1 2 Jones, Richard (12 January 2017). "Complete Guide: Bonobo". Clash. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.

[mc-2] "Metacritic". Metacritic . Retrieved 21 March 2021.

[AMG-3] Hoffman, K. Ross. "Review: Black Sands". Allmusic . Retrieved 27 March 2010.

[4] "Music - Review of Bonobo - Black Sands". BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2012.

[drownedinsound-5] Raoul, Vyvian. "Album Review: Bonobo - Black Sands". Drowned In Sound . Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2021.

[6] "Mojo review". Mojo : 97. May 2010.

[7] "musicOMH review". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.

[8] Hung, Estella. "Bonobo: Black Sands < PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2012.

[q-9] "Black Sands". Q : 117. May 2010.

[sputnik-10] Observer. "Sputnikmusic review". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved 20 March 2021.

[11] Clay, Joe (27 March 2010). "Bonobo Black Sands". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011.

[tinymixtapes-12] Bruce, Gordon. "Tiny Mix Tapes review". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved 21 March 2021.

[13] "Bonobo - Black Sands — Oscar & Ewan". Oscarandewan.se. Retrieved 1 March 2020.

[booklet-14] Black Sands (liner notes). Bonobo. Ninja Tune. 2010. ZENCD140.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[15] "House at the End of the Street". 21 September 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2016– via IMDb.

[16] "Just Isn't Music – 10/03/14 Bonobo 'Kong' used in House of Cards s02e08". Justisntmusic.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2018.

[17] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[18] "Official Charts Analysis: The xx claim No.1 spot with third album I See You". Music Week. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

[United_KingdomBonoboBlacks_SandsalbumCertRef-19] "British album certifications – Bonobo – Blacks Sands". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 27 May 2022.

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v t e Bonobo
Albums	Animal Magic Dial 'M' for Monkey Days to Come Black Sands The North Borders Migration Fragments
Other albums	One Offs... Remixes & B-Sides Solid Steel Presents: It Came from the Sea Late Night Tales: Bonobo
EPs	Live Sessions