Playlist suggestions, world/lounge/techno

July 18, 2007 10:10 AM

MusicFilter: I need to make a playlist for a cocktail hour this weekend. I'm looking for more things like Suba, Amon Tobin, or the Gotan Project. Preferably without lyrics, although non-English lyrics would be acceptable. Bonus points for Italian elements or Rat Pack ambience.
posted by billtron to media & arts (32 comments total)

Check out the Beat at Cinecitta series. 100% Italian exploitation movie soundtracks. The 'Shake Sauvage' compilation is also nice, as is "Vampyros Lesbos Sexadelic Dance Party" (soundtrack to the Jesus Franco film). No lyrics on any of these, I think.
posted by mkb at 10:22 AM on July 18, 2007

I have the Easy Tempo series which seems apt. Italian. No lyrics.
posted by vacapinta at 10:34 AM on July 18, 2007

Those are both great suggestions. Can anyone recommend anything less vintage? Maybe those types of sounds filtered through some knob twiddling a la Amon Tobin.
posted by billtron at 10:42 AM on July 18, 2007

For the Rat Pack vibe, nothing beats The Bob Crewe Generation. It's not as mellow as Gotan or smoky like Tobin, but it's great party and cocktail music. Along these lines, but including occasional lyrics/spoken word, the occasional rock vibe and usually involving some kind of sexy concept is The Mystic Moods Orchestra.

If you want older and more swingy stuff, check the Jackie Gleason Orchestra or any of the zillions of Martin Denny/Dick Hyman/Les Baxter Exotica albums and compilations.

For a mellow dubbier and more electronica style, any of the albums and side projects associated with Kruder and Dorfmeister should fit the bill.
posted by rhizome at 10:43 AM on July 18, 2007

Apropos to your follow-up:
Senor Coconut
Another Atom Heart project
Sluta Leta is a little weirder (more info)
Flanger is a little jazzier
posted by rhizome at 10:51 AM on July 18, 2007

Maybe the Cinematic Orchestra, Nightmares on Wax
posted by mkb at 10:52 AM on July 18, 2007

Bonobo "Sweetness"
Boards of Canada "Geogaddi"
Kruder & Dorfmeister "K&D Sessions"
posted by vkxmai at 10:52 AM on July 18, 2007

The tough thing with the actual K&D Sessions album for your purposes is that (1) a lot of the tracks have lyrics and (2) the whole album is mixed, making it hard to edit.

One more suggestion: File Under: Finnish Ambient Techno Chant.
posted by mkb at 11:01 AM on July 18, 2007

Savath & Savalas - Maybe something from Apropa't
Juana Molina - Uh! or Tres Cosas

Minimal female vocals, in Spanish.
posted by carsonb at 11:06 AM on July 18, 2007

Thievery Corporation, perhaps.
posted by arco at 11:10 AM on July 18, 2007

Bajofondo Tango Club -- it's a compilation, and parts of the CD have a feeling very similar to Gotan Project.

Might be a bit too uptempo, though.
posted by Mock Turtle at 11:13 AM on July 18, 2007

nthing arco- especially the track 'Tropicando'. The Dining Rooms are also great, and they're Italian. The Sharpshooters have some gorgeous tracks- I'm thinking "Feeling Fine" and "Hot Buttered Rum" These are all instrumental.

Cheers!
posted by solongxenon at 11:15 AM on July 18, 2007

Tipsy
Astro Can Caravan
Aavikko
Pest
Exploding Star Orchestra
Amsterdam Klezmer Band
Sizemix
Elektro4
Skalpel
Harmonic 33

Seconding all of Rhizome's Atom Heart/Senor Coconut references, and throw Lisa Carbon "Trio De Janero" into that mix.
posted by spartacusroosevelt at 11:16 AM on July 18, 2007

Seconding Harmonic 33, that is excellent music!
posted by vkxmai at 11:20 AM on July 18, 2007

Early Ninjatune: 9 Lazy 9, from Rome.
posted by Dean King at 11:24 AM on July 18, 2007

Seconding Thievery Corporation, specifically "Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi" or maybe "The Mirror Conspiracy"
posted by sad_otter at 11:26 AM on July 18, 2007

Thievery Corp.'s The Outernationalist Sound compilation is quite good for this. Instrumentals. Very Jet Set.
posted by cowbellemoo at 12:41 PM on July 18, 2007

Nicole Conta "Bossa per due"
Scott Grooves "Organ nights, Pt. 2" (I found this track on the "Hôtel Costes 4" compilation album)
St. Germain "Land of..." (from the album "Tourist")
Almost anything by Bebel Gilberto, especially the album "Tanto tempo remixes".
Perhaps somthing from The "Getz/Gilberto" album by Stan Getz, João Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto.
posted by iviken at 12:43 PM on July 18, 2007

Esquivel! The king of space age bachelor pad music.

Also try Celia Cruz.
posted by frosty_hut at 12:50 PM on July 18, 2007

My all time favorite martini-sipping song is Disko by Komeda.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:40 PM on July 18, 2007

Ominostanco. Seconding Nicola Conte.
posted by progosk at 2:05 PM on July 18, 2007

See your skalpel, raise you a cinematic orchestra.


Also, not so appropriate for your needs, but in a vaguely similar chill out vein: I really like the one song this duo have put out. And if you don't like it too, it means you're a big ole grumpypants.
posted by juv3nal at 2:17 PM on July 18, 2007

If you like Gotan Project et al, you probably know Adriana Varela's voice, but her solo stuff is very nice.

Federico Aubele may also be what you're looking for, as may Juan Campodónico.

Nicola Conte produced an album by Paolo Achenza Trio which you might like for those purposes.
posted by winna at 2:26 PM on July 18, 2007

nthing thievery corp.
posted by umbú at 2:27 PM on July 18, 2007

also rica amabis' record sambadelic.

the nortec collective (a group of techno artists from tijuana) has some great songs toying with kitschy herb alpert/tijuana brass tunes that might fit the bill.

I'd also bet you'd like DJ Dolores - Aparelhagem from northeast Brazil, even though it doesn't have the rat pack angle.
posted by umbú at 2:37 PM on July 18, 2007

Amestoy Trio
posted by talkingmuffin at 2:52 PM on July 18, 2007

Lovage - Music to Make Love to Your Oldlady By (Instrumental Version) - Dan the Automater and Kid Koala became possessed by the spirit of Serge Gainsbourg and made this album. (Jennifer Charles and Mike Patton provided vocals on the original album)

El Che - this album was "inspired" by the scores from Brazilian pornographic films from the '70s. The producer - Che - behind this album actually hired studio musicians to record all new versions of the music...

There ought to be a couple of tracks over at Score Baby Annex that you can add to your playlists. Most of it is vintage soundtrack music though (scroll down the page for a link to a song frrom the El Che album above)
posted by cinemafiend at 3:53 PM on July 18, 2007

For my wedding we played the Piero Piccioni soundtrack to Camille 2000. I love it.
posted by saucysault at 4:03 PM on July 18, 2007

Pink Martini sounds like it might fit.
posted by olecranon at 6:10 PM on July 18, 2007

These artists might fit the bill:

dzihan and Kamien
Gecko Turner
posted by DudeAsInCool at 9:38 PM on July 18, 2007

Damn, why didn't I think of this when I read this thread earlier? It's what I do all day long.

Start a Pandora station seeded with any one of those above. Stick laptop on top of stereo, line out -> aux in with a simple cable from radio shack. Vee-o-la. No screwing with it all night.
posted by ctmf at 9:55 PM on July 18, 2007

There are some great songs by David Holmes that might fit your needs.

For exploitation soundtracks filtered through knob twiddling, look to The Herbaliser. Half their output is hip-hop with lyrics, but there are some awesome tracks that fit that description on every album; I recommend Very Mercenery and Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Jega is quite like Amon Tobin at times, though their songs certainly vary.

Combustible Edison's The Impossible World might have a few songs you'd like, too.
posted by zebra3 at 7:07 AM on July 19, 2007