Stephen Wilkinson will release Sleep On The Wing, his new album as Bibio, next month on Warp Records.

Pieced together over the course of last year, with a few exceptions stretching back into Bibio’s older repertoire, Sleep On The Wing is a largely instrumental collection recorded in Wilkinson’s home studio in the UK midlands countryside. It arrives just over a year after 2019’s Ribbons, and follows a pattern Wilkinson has established in his work: sharing a follow-up release after an album that explores similar sonic ground. The album draws on a familiar range of influences from traditional folk, peaceful atmospheric soundscapes, and field recordings from the natural world.

On lead single “Sleep On The Wing,” a gentle melodic theme is bowed and plucked, and Wilkinsonsings of hope in the face of something painful or tragic. The track’s title and lyrics, inspired by a swift’s ability to sleep during flight, have been brought to life in a video animated by Sonnye Lim. The video presents a swift flying from dark city to rural landscapes as spring turns to summer.

Animator Lim says: “I wanted to capture the feeling of a temporary escape from the bustling city. The swift provides a glimpse of a serene, and carefree world.”

Tracklisting

01. Sleep On The Wing
02. A Couple Swim
03. Lightspout
04. Oakmoss
05. Miss Blennerhassett
06. The Milkyway Over Ratlinghope
07. Awpockes
08. Crocus
09. Otter Shadows
10. Warching Thus, The Heron Is All Pool

Sleep On The Wing LP is out on vinyl and digitally on June 12 via Warp. Meanwhile, you can stream the lead single below, and pre-order here.