Ixtahuele - Pagan Rites

This is a new release, by a modern band, but the sound is brilliantly-made classic exotica. If you love the holy trinity of the genre: Martin Denny, Les Baxter, and Arthur Lyman, then this album is definitely for your ears. Most definitely the best exotica recording in a decade. These all-original compositions sound so clear and intoxicating you would swear they were a lost Martin Denny record. Instead, we have an ensemble performing exotica the way it was meant to be played - organically without synthesizers or computers. 

There are some killer tracks. While this Swedish group has captured the *sound* of those great recordings, these aren't retreads of old standards. There's no "Bali Hai," "Yellow Bird," "Quiet Village" or "Hawaiian War Chant." Instead, Ixtahuele -- named for a group of Polynesian islands -- has written & recorded ten all-new instrumental numbers. And though the band and album are modern, the music is decidedly classic in feel.

Here's the test: Put Pagan Rites in a mix with classics by the masters, punch "random," and see if you notice when Ixtahuele is playing. It blends beautifully!

Buy Pagan Rites. Put on your aloha shirt and/or fez. Mix up a Mai-Tai. Relax, and let the exotic sounds of Ixtahuele take you away...

Tracks

1. Black Sand
2. Rarohengen Dance
3. Brugmansia
4. Stone Gods of Bimini
5. Orust Luau
6. Lotus Eaters
7. Searching the Souq\
8. Huahine
9. Dengue Fever
10. Garden of Mu
11. Untitled bonus
    
    
    exoticsoundz
    
    

Don Tiki - the Forbidden Sounds Of Don Tiki

If you're an exotica fan and like the music of Martin Denny, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, Robert Drasnin, Eden Ahbez, or Hawaiian music you'll love this too. Martin Denny himself even makes a guest appearance on 2 of the tracks and his wonderful piano solo on "Forever and Ever" is alone worth the price of admission. Here is all the best of exotica - bird calls, jungle sounds, sultry female vocals, congos, bongos, xylophones, vibraphones, flutes and much more. Jim Howard's use of the flute, alto flute, and bass flute is particularly enjoyable and refreshing. There are a pleasing mix of styles and rhythms, some are slow and soft and others have a beat that will make you want to get up and dance. This is perfect music for your next Tiki party or Hawaiian luau, or you can play it like I do to just relax and let your mind pleasantly wander. For pure listening pleasure, it's like MaiTai for the mind.

1. Exotica '97 2. An Occational Man 3. Barbi In Bali 4. Hot Like Lava 5. Close Your Eyes
6. Maidenhair Fern 7. Terminal 8. Polyamore 9. Clutch Cargo Cult 10. Bam-Boozled
11. Itchy Palms 12. Da T'ing He Grow 13. Forever And Ever

 forbidden

Skinny Dip with Don Tiki

 The follow-up to Forbidden Sounds, Don Tiki's 2nd album again combines sweeping range of exotic, mellow, upbeat, and loungy tunes, moving the art of Modern Exotica forward into the new millennium. The vocals are more native/island sounding that your typical mainland-produced track from the 60's, but here it only adds to the atmosphere. It has my most favorite non-pc track of the genre – the very cool “The Natives Are Restless Tonight.” The liner notes are written by none other than Sven Kirsten, author of the Book Of Tiki. This is a must have for any Exotica collector to add to their collection. Pick this album up and listen to it, now. It's another glimpse into the almost non-existent genre of Modern Exotica.

1. All Quiet Flows The Don 2. The Natives Are Restless 3. Primitiva 4. Heat 5. Flower Humming
6. Bwana Banana 7. The Other Side Of The Moon 8. Wet Cave 9. Pinakbet 10. El Producto
11. Sweet And Sour 12. Axolotl 13. That Hypnotizing Man

 

skinnykinney

Don Tiki -- Adulterated - The Remix Project

Every couple of years we are treated to a new neo-Exotica treasure from Honolulu's Don Tiki. The new album, Adulterated, is a remix project featuring 11 tunes from their first two albums. Now I'm sure some of you are thinking this is a recipe for disaster (we are all too aware of failed "lounge" remix projects, right?). In this case, Don Tiki have done it the right way. As implied by the title, this is a remix of classic Don Tiki sounds, which pay homage to Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman and all the forefathers of exotica. Even repertory tracks have been mixed, reshaped, refined and re-invented by a coterie of top deejays - call it Martin Denny for the millennium - and the tunes take on new sass.For the most part, the remixes stay true to the vibe of the original songs, so things are mellow and relaxing and not hyper and kinetic. Some good tracks in this mode are All Quiet Flows the Don, remixed by 8FatFat8, and Close Your Eyes, remixed by A Certain Frank. Adulterated features three standout tracks, starting with DJ Jimmy B's remix of The Natives Are Restless. Now, we're big fans of the original song but Jimmy B's remix takes it up a notch. Extremely effective remix effects and nice spoken word pieces highlight this mix, along with chanting to die for. Br Cleve contributes a HiNRG "Bongo Congo" mix of Bwana Banana that somehow fits in even though this has a much higher BPM than the rest of the album. "The Other Side of the Moon," remixed by Ursula 1000 of NYC as heard on the Samsung Electronic worldwide TV campaign. Lastly, Clutch Cargo Cult gets a great remix from 8FatFat8 that includes a nice rap by Julio Davis. Now, things aren't all Mai Tai's for Adulterated. An Occasional Man has a syncopated remix style that I found annoying (honestly, I'm not a fan of the original version either) with several grating effects.

There's a mix of sultry, intermittent vocals with inventive instrumentals. This is party music that collates a myriad of styles, from exotic jazz to ska, from funk to pop. Light the tiki torches, turn on the lava lamps, haul out the tiki mask and start groovin!'

A review in Time Out/NY states, "Don Tiki have a sexy allure along with flair and a good sense of humor." The Honolulu Advertiser says, "Don Tiki captures exotic sounds, party spirit...this is Martin Denny for the Millenium!" This sensuous, flowing piece of work is an instant classic.

1 The Other Side of the Moon 2 Clutch Cargo Cult
3 Heat [Jack Fetterman's Tabuzack Mix] 4 Da T'Ing He Grow
5 An Occasional Man 6 Close Your Eyes 7 The Natives Are Restless
8 Polyamoré 9 Bwana Banana 10 Terminal [Perry Coma's Comatose Mix]
11 All Quiet Flows the Don

 

dadonad

Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica Third River Rangoon

Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica Third River Rangoon

Despite the "Orchestrotica" in the title, "Mr. Ho's" sophomore effort is as part of a 4 or 5 man combo this time rather than the 23 member big band of his debut album. However, not to worry. This is a talented group playing a variety of music in the Tiki Lounge style. The "Arab Dance" from The Nutcracker is very well done. Nice tribute song for Arthur Lyman done in his distinctive style.While the Orchestrotica does perform classics by the original artists of the style--Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Les Baxter, Milt Raskin, and Cal Tjader--the quartet focuses on original, modern jazz/classical crossover (third-stream) exotica music written by Mr. Ho too.

Vibraphonist/bandleader Brian O'Neill AKA Mr. Ho's new album Third River Rangoon, by his shapeshifting ensemble Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica may have been inspired by that subgenre, but it's considerably more magical. It leaves far more to the imagination, a lushly nocturnal collection whose most impressive feat of sorcery is getting a simple lineup of vibraphone, bass flute, bass and percussion to create the sweep of a hundred-piece orchestra. The production is genius: Phil Spector couldn't have done any better than this. Playful and surreal, with an unselfconscious majesty, it's music to get lost in, just as O'Neill intended..." -- Lucid Culture - 6/2011

Enjoy the trip.

1. Third River Rangoon 4:36
  2. Thor's Arrival 4:55
  3. Maika            3:23
  4. Colorado Waltz 4:22
  5. Arab Dance            4:29
  6. Phoenix, Goodbye 5:12
  7. Terre Exotique 4:04
  8. Autumn Digging Dance 3:12
  9. Moai Thief 3:58
10. Lonesome Aku of Alewife 3:51
11. Lyman '59

exoticalounge

The Derangers - The Legend Of Daphne Blue And The Westernmental Sound (2014)

The Derangers - The Legend Of Daphne Blue And The Westernmental Sound (2014)

Conjuring the feel of a bygone era in America, when neon lit the evening sky along Route 66 and a cowboy with no name rode across a Drive-In movie screen... The Westernmental Sound! It's the debut CD by longtime Boston instrumental combo The Derangers. Spooky instrumental themes, encompassing spaghetti western, surf, spy, and more. Call it desert surf or Texas surf...

“The Legend of Daphne Blue” is a retrospective of the best Derangers instrumental music spanning more than two decades. 1990’s original spaghetti western-styled theme, “Rio Sangre” is the collection’s oldest track, and the band’s twangified cover of “Wichita Lineman,” recorded in November of 2013, is the newest.

The music ranges from straight early ‘60’s California surf with tracks like “Santa Monica” and “Monkey Island” to the exotic spy jazz and Arabesque motifs of “Ether Cocktail” and “The Impaler.” There’s “’69 Firebird’s” hot rod sound and the lush tropical layering of “Agave Rain.” But the main wave of the Derangers’ sound is their “Westermental” themes. Tracks like “Rio Sangre,” “Tears of the Seneca,” “Twang ‘em High,” and “El Chupacabra” conjure cinematic images of a lone rider emerging over the desert horizon, making his way toward a doomed desert town, accompanied only by danger. Front and center is Drew Townson’s steely, reverb-clad guitar, supported by a cast of some of the best players in the New England music scene.

"To hell with 'spaghetti western' soundtracks. The Derangers have an original take on high-atmosphere twang that's fueled by Texas barbecue and dust. Guitarist Drew Townson's melodies evoke not only the open spaces of the prairies and deserts, but the sound of the surf, balancing retro-cool with a lean modernity that keeps the band's sound fresh and timeless." ~ Ted Drozdowski, Guitar World

Track List:

01. Tears of the Seneca [03:56]

02. Twang 'em High! [02:53]

03. El Chupacabra, Live on WMFO [03:00]

04. Santa Monica [02:30]

05. Rio Sangre [03:43]

06. The Impaler [03:32]

07. Monkey Island [03:04]

08. Ether Cocktail [04:52]

09. Magdalena, NM [02:45]

10. '69 Firebird [03:19]

11. Agave Rain [02:46]

12. Wichita Lineman [03:54]

13. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, Live [02:58]

whackedout

Tortoise - It's All Around You

It's All Around You is a solid maturation of the Tortoise sound. It's their fifth album and the compositions are surer, bolder, subtler than any of their previous work. Where their earlier tracks were often whimsical and wandering, these are thoughtful, artfully produced works that don't need to lean on their pastiche or irony or 21st century genre fusion to be respected. The triptych that opens the album is some of the most breathtaking work they've ever done, as audacious and ambitious as anything you've heard from them. The first track is a latin-infused tapestry of guitar and vibe melodies, while the second is a sibilant electronic dub brain massage. The third is a bold, sweeping Zappa anthem that will have you shaking your head in wonderment. This is Tortoise's most cohesive album yet, good for focused end-to-end listening while having tracks that are capable of standing on their own.

All the usual elements are here: the mesmerizing blend of instruments to the point where you are surprised where one ends and the other begins, the fun sometimes screwball rhythms, the jazz inspired melodies and some great rock-out moments. Instrumentation hasn't changed: two vibraphones, two drum kits, bass, synth/effects, twang and jazz guitar.

Its mood wanders from joyful heights to angsty darkness and back. Tortoise's production values improve with each album they release, and this is no exception - you will greatly benefit from playing this album through a quality sound system or headphones, and make sure you're reproducing the bass properly because it's sublime.

John McIntyre's drumming is on showcase here, building to a wild crescendo with the album's closing track. The electronic expression of Tortoise is more finely represented here than on any previous album.

This album showcases some of their most subtle, melodic and consistent work to date. If you like Friends of Dean Martinez, Calexico or M83 give this a try. If, not - try it anyway - it's that good.


Track Listing
    "It's All Around You" – 4:09
    "The Lithium Stiffs" – 3:59
    "Crest" – 4:21
    "Stretch (You Are All Right)" – 5:14
    "Unknown" – 5:38
    "Dot/Eyes" – 3:46
    "On the Chin" – 5:21
    "By Dawn" – 1:51
    "Five Too Many" – 4:33
    "Salt the Skies" – 4:45

terp5

Surfer Joe - Senor Surf

Surfer Joe - Senor Surf

“Senor Surf” is the first solo release of Surfer Joe. The album was recorded in 2013, but sounds just like a real 60s record! This is partly due to the way the album was recorded and the use of analog gear, but Lorenzo could have easily been one of the greats in the sixties. It collects pieces from some years back and finally glues them together, but also presents brand new compositions that reveal the devotion to the classic surf sound of the 60s revisited with a fascinating style. He dedicates his life to surf music with a positive attitude and a great energy, always ready for new experiences and ideas while keeping an eye on the tradition of the genre which involves the most typical reverb drenched guitar sounds and pushing drum beats inspired by jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

Paul Johnson of the Bel-Airs (known from the song ‘Mr. Moto’ with Eddie Bertrand, who later on formed the band Eddie & the Showmen) is featured on the live recording of the B-side track ‘Beach City Bop’. On this track, Lorenzo plays the drums. Yes, the man can also play the drums!

Aside from this song, the album mostly contains Lorenzo’s own work, which he has written in Antigua (an island in the Caribbean Sea), where he lived between 2004 and 2011 and played in the surf band Wadidli Riders (locals call the island Wadidli). The album starts off great with ‘Macaroni Pie’ and remains interesting. Side A of the record ends with the track ‘The North Swell’, which was recorded live on Antigua. Side B starts with ‘Fire Escape Rope’, that strongly reminds me of Slacktone, and ends with ‘Beach City Bop’. This is the world of Surfer Joe, made of simple melodies, groovy arrangements, twanging notes, stories to tell and surf music. This is a great album that deserves to be part of every Surf music fan’s collection.

Track List:

01. Macaroni Pie [01:52]
02. El Seсor Surf [02:44]
03. Devil's Bridge [02:34]
04. Underwater Love [03:03]
05. Waveboard Action [02:26]
06. The North Swell [02:43]
07. Fire Escape Rope [03:07]
08. Cavalcade Of Surf [02:41]
09. Etage 8 [02:29]
10. Twangy Drippy Twisty [02:01]
11. Changing Things [03:47]
12. Beach City Bop [03:45]

sfrjoe

Montefiori Cocktail #1, 2 and 3

Party on ---------- going on vacation for a few weeks. Thought this will get everyone in the mood to escape life for awhile. Three slabs of crazy funky fun. No joke. 

 

For my blog buddy Mr. Fab at Music For Maniacs  there are some juicy bits here that could wind up in some of your future compilations.

 

Montefiori are Italy's major representative of the new lounge easy listening evolution, offering the 60's funky sounds enriched with technological elements. Inspired by the 60's cinema and the beginning of the 70's, they grasp the vitality spirit conveyed by that period music, re-proposing it in modern musical forms with house, breakbeat, jungle, drum 'n bass etc. There are great versions of classic lounge-jazz-samba-type tunes that sound just familiar enough to get people of every age and musical taste walking around with a bit more swagger, nodding their heads and splashing their martinis.

For instance, their version of Bolero. Yes, this is the famous classic piece by Ravel! It's done in a 60s-jazz lounge style, with jazzy saxophones swinging the melody over vibes and drum set. "It's a hoot" to say the least, but it really works well! Very creative. They do a similar treatment to the "Star Trek" theme, making it sound like a romantic ballad the first part, then adding the spacy blips and bleeps on the repeat. Best of all – a twangy spaghetti western version of the Star Wars theme. They mix up tv, movies, pop and schmaltz in a perfect blend of fun.

The music is completely goofy, but irresistible. You can't help but smile and dance. Horns and keyboards are all mixed up in a sound that might best be described as the love-child of Pee-Wee Herman and Robert Goulet. If you steadfastly refuse to take life seriously, this is for you. Enjoy.

 

Trax

 

1. Lazy Busy

2. Another B

3. Bolero

4. Je T'Adore

5. Tekila Bum Bum

6. So, What's New

7. Crazy Beat

8. Gipsy Woman (La Da De La Da Da)

9. Trip 60

10. Un Uomo, Una Donna

11. Gne Gne

12. Anamaria

13. Theme From Star Trek #1 with a bullet

Montefiori Cocktail #2

Montefiori are Italy's major representative of the new lounge easy listening evolution, offering the 60's funky sounds enriched with technological elements. Inspired by the 60's and the beginning of the 70's, they grasp the vitality spirit conveyed by that period music, re-proposing it in modern musical forms with house, breakbeat, jungle, drum 'n bass etc. There are great versions of classic lounge-jazz-samba-type tunes that sound just familiar enough to get people of every age and musical taste walking around with a bit more swagger, nodding their heads and splashing their martinis.

For instance, their version of Bolero. Yes, this is the famous classic piece by Ravel! It's done in a 60s-jazz lounge style, with jazzy saxophones swinging the melody over vibes and drum set. "It's a hoot" to say the least, but it really works well! Very creative. They do a similar treatment to the "Star Trek" theme, making it sound like a romantic ballad the first part, then adding the spacy blips and bleeps on the repeat. Best of all – a twnagy spaghetti western version of the Star Wars theme. They mix up tv, movies, pop and schmaltz in a perfect blend of fun.

The music is completely goofy, but irresistible. You can't help but smile and dance. Horns and keyboards are all mixed up in a sound that might best be described as the love-child of Pee-Wee Herman and Robert Goulet. If you steadfastly refuse to take life seriously, this is for you. Enjoy.

 

Trax

 

1 Theme from Star Wars / 2 Hu ha / 3 La Segretaria / 4 Sunny / 5 Babalu / 6 Sofisticata / 7 L'albero di 30 piani / 8 Shampoo / 9 On a Clear Day / 10 I feel love / 11 Intervallo / 12 Stanotte / 13 Anonimo veneziano / 14 Nana nana / 15 Riviera beat / 16 Anema e core /

 

#2