Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

I love that cover and how its simplicity stands out at you. I love how the trees probably took the most time but the street's buildings and vehicles stand out probably the most. If you look closely at the right side, there is a red tint in one of the windows, the only shade not in grayscale. And well, the lettering too, that’s great. It’s always the simple things in life that matter the most, Bibio’s Ambivalence Avenue has a way of proving just how simple beauty can be so well done. I love the bigness of “Sugarette” and how it just explodes off the black and white canvas that Bibio has presented. On the previous song, “Haikuesque (When She Laughs),” he tenders towards a soft guitar and atmospheric blends to make up a misty demeanor but on “Sugarette,” through its own hazy introduction, the booming bass is what instantly stands out to you. Perhaps this is where Ambivalence Avenue shines over Bibio’s other albums – there’s a larger-than-life sound to his music this time around and the imagery was astounding – but whatever it is, “Sugarette” is definitely one of the highlights.


Here is the remix version of “Sugarette” by Wax Stag, found on The Apple and the Tooth. It’s a lot more dance-heavy but it manipulates the melody in such a way that it comes off as fresh and inviting, instead of over-polished. The effects are far more entrancing and well, it’s a great song on its own.


So after “Sugarette” neatly caps off the first part of the album, “Lovers’ Carvings” comes dashing in with a gentle guitar that simply swoons around a sunny, warm melody. The first half of the song follows this subtle and serene flow before Bibio brings in the drums and vocals on the back-end. The song’s so simply done that it’s downright stunning because of it and the words showcase the feeling of carving your initials with a lover and even as they fade away over time, “the meaning will never disappear.” But even at that, there’s so much to get lost away in when it’s this lush. – Bryan