Simon Green, the brains behind Bonobo, grew up in Brighton, England, playing piano. He picked up guitar in his teens but soon ditched it for electronic music, preferring the portability of electronics and how they allowed him to create on his own schedule without having to rely on a full band.

He started Bonobo in 1999 as a solo electronics project rooted in hip-hop sampling and beatmaking. Following the release of his 2006 album, Days to Come, he began to incorporate live instrumentation in his recordings and live shows.