Electronic exotica

September 20, 2006 5:21 PM

Looking for good electronic-exotica music similar to Comfort Stand's Two Zombies Later, particularly tracks like 'Kitty's Daydream', 'Acapulco 2000', 'Moonlight Zombie Dance'.

I know it's a pretty narrow genre. I already have a few albums by Les Baxter and Sergio Mendes, but the original exotica sounds are a bit too mellow for my tastes. 'Exotica' remixes or artists/tracks with a remotely similar sound would be great. For example, I think Thievery Corporation and Ursula 1000 sound somewhat similar. In a more general sense, I guess I'm looking for natural-sounding, melodic electronic music. Obscure and out-of-press artists are okay. Any recommendations?

Thanks.

posted by aye to media & arts (6 comments total)

Wow awesome question (and nice link!). I'll do a little flexing with my collection and bold the ones closest to what you have in mind. I don't traffic in alot of non-vocal groups, but you'll find a few below.

Anjali (self-titled album [Amazon.com])

Arkestra One (specifically "Train To Machu Pichu")

Brazillian Girls ("Big Dumb Sex")

Herbalizer ("The Hard Stuff")

Nicola Conte (Bossa Per Due -- was on same label as Ursula 1k and Thievery)

Roisin Murphey (Ruby Blue -- long shot but pretty innovative orchestration)

Smoke City (Flying Away -- maybe every other track will have exotica influences)

The Specials ("Ghost Town")

Thunderball (Scorpio Rising -- on ESL with Thievery & Ursula, percussion-heavy and uptempo)

Troubleman ("Toda Hora" -- energy like little else)

Willie Bobo ("Fried Neckbone and Some Home Fries " Dan the Automator rmx)

You might also want to look into some Drum n' Bass (Lamb's first album) or more jazzy electronica (Mr. Scruff and De-Phazz) for related sounds.
posted by cowbellemoo at 10:47 PM on September 20, 2006

TikiBarTV is also worth posting, for laffs.
posted by cowbellemoo at 10:50 PM on September 20, 2006

I had heard Lamb, Mr. Scruff, Thunderball, and Brazillian Girls, but everything else is new to me. I'll give them a listen. Thanks.
posted by aye at 11:22 PM on September 20, 2006

And Smoke City is exactly what I had in mind. Wow.
posted by aye at 11:24 PM on September 20, 2006

I would recommend some of the books a compilations by David Toop. He did a couple of compilations called "Ocean of Sound" a few years ago which might interest you.
posted by rongorongo at 1:19 AM on September 21, 2006

And Smoke City is exactly what I had in mind. Wow.

Oh yes. One of my favorites. The outstanding Smoke City singer, Nina Miranda, is also on the Troubleman and Arkestra One tracks, by the way. The 2nd Smoke City album (Heroes of Nature) is also excellent, though doesn't have the same raw exotica touches.

Enjoy!
posted by cowbellemoo at 5:49 AM on September 21, 2006