Gaia [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com
Pop stars never tread on more dangerous turf than when they mount the soapbox of their popularity to assuage their own regrets about fame, express some burning personal issue, or, worse, take a political stand. What are folksingers for, anyway? This 1994 album by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, one of the most successful pop icon-sex symbols of the '70s and early '80s, was a Top 10 hit in her homeland, but has long been considered a "lost" album by Newton-John's American fans; this marks its Stateside debut. Inspired by the cruel, dueling fates of her father's death and being diagnosed with breast cancer at virtually the same moment, Newton-John claims this self-penned and self-produced album, which ranges across topics from romance to the environment ("Gaia" represents the Spirit of Mother Earth), represents the "first time" she's expressed her true feelings--which may come as a shock to admirers of "I Honestly Love You." Perhaps ironically, the breathy, fragile voice of her pop prime convincingly wraps itself around these confessionals with determination and occasional muscle. Rife with melodic echoes from her easy-listening country past ("No Other Love," "Why Me," "I Never Knew Love"), Gaia is variously infused with mildly exotic touches, from the metaphysical "Pegasus," South American-flavored "Not Gonna Give In to It," and Hindi undercurrents in "The Way of Love" to the rainforest ambience of "Ruin" and the title track. Fans and casual listeners alike will find the album more than just a reassuring return to form; it's a bold and often surprising attempt to recast her pop legacy. --Jerry McCulley

Gaia,Olivia Newton-John,Hip-O Records,Adult Contemporary,Country-Pop,Pop,Pop Vocals,Popular Music,Rock/Pop,Soft Rock

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Gaia [Original recording remastered]

Average customer rating: Highly enjoyable for all. Reconstructing the beauty of a Symposium CD-Hypothesis

Melpomen: Ancient Greek Music Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Musique de la Grece Antique Music of the Ancient Greeks Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks Ancient Egypt Ankh: The Sound of Ancient Egypt ASIN: B000BTE4LG Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

1. Akousate/Argos
2. Melomai
3. Sappho
4. Eros
5. Mater
6. Nomos M
7. Tenge Pleumonas Oino
8. Dithyrambos
9. Gaia
10. Daktylos Amera
11. Makrotatos
12. Anakreon
13. Perikleitos
14. Agallis
15. Dialogos
16. Mona
17. Protos
18. Ekleipsis
19. Proteron
20. Hypne Anax
21. Kretikos

Customer Reviews:

Highly enjoyable for all........2006-12-12

I enthusiastically recommend this recording to everyone, regardless of your musicological expertise. The novelty and variety of the music should be enough to draw in all but the most desensitized of the mainstream audience, and after repeated listenings a depth of enthusiastic musicianship is exposed. The mood ranges from the excruciatingly delicate lyre, falsetto, and chimes to the forcefully rhythmic hand-drums, shakers and (my personal favorite) the wooden double auloi that pack all the punch of a distortion guitar.

If, on the other hand, you are a bit of a scholar, this will please all but the most slavish positivist. This is not interpretation N of the Seikilos epitaph, and in fact I don't believe the notational fragments are at all represented on this recording. [It really shouldn't be attributed to "Ancient Greek Anonymous."] There are, however, rigorously-researched reconstructions of period instruments and relatively virtuosic performances. The melodies have been composed with a thorough appreciation for the greek vocal aesthetic, taking into account the tonality, rhythm and accent of the language and the fundamentally syllabic nature of ancient greek art song. Also well-represented is the "epicentric" melodic paradigm inherited from Sumeria, gravitating toward the central string, "mese".

My only disappointment is the lack of harmonic variety. The entire CD is performed in the diatonic genus (without even variations of chroma, unfortunately). In their defense, I admit that to modern ears the chromatic genus can sound like very bad jazz, and the enharmonic genus is (just as Plato said) prohibitively difficult for most singers. I sincerely hope this ensemble will explore them in future recordings. Nonetheless, this is most certainly not equal-tempered music, with an unmistakable, exciting "microtonal" spice.

I have owned this recording for a year, and it is one of my absolute favorites.

Reconstructing the beauty of a Symposium.......2006-04-27

The first remark concerns the instruments of this music, instruments that have been reconstituted on the model of the ancient ones. We will consider them as germanely faithful and they create sounds, a sound environment or ambience that is particularly original. The second remark is that this music is based on the pythagorian five-note scale (note Conrad Steinmann does not mention this pythagorian origin and the physical process used to determine the first five degrees based on vibrations, from C to G, but this process fails for A and B : these last two notes will be regulated and introduced in the scale only in the Renaissance) that corresponds to the first five degrees of our modern major scale. Then a second group of these five degrees and intervals are added to the first five in a second identical group constituting a ten-note scale that will be the basis of all western music up to the Renaissance, and thus the basis of all Christian sacred music of the Middle Ages, a music known as gregorian. So, in the surprising sound ambience we also recognize some elements we have already heard and enjoyed in our heritage. The next choice is to reconstitute the music of a symposium, a banquet with musical entertainment for free Athenian citizens, though there were no un-free citizens : it corresponds then to the extremely small minority of the people in Athens and ancient Greece who had civil rights because they were free. This music is based on texts from the poets of the time singing love and wine, the pleasures of love and wine and then the disruptive alienating impact of love. Finally the music itself is reconstituted from the tidbits that have survived, the accents, stresses and intonations of the language itself, and what we can know of the status of music in this free social elite. The result is very surprising. We will first mention the voices : only a (female) soprano and a/n (male) alto. This is a little bit too restrictive and it reduces the male voice to a very particular case. The music brings up some Mediterranean styles that will develop later on in Europe with medieval music and in the Arab world. We can hear some oriental passages, for instance in track # 9, ? Gaia ?. I will mention track # 18 on the sun eclipse of April 8, 648 B.C. that has a sombre depth created by the contrast between the soprano and the alto, and track # 20, ? Hypne Anax ?, in which the alto develops in his solo a vocal texture that is absolutely unexpected.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Universit? Paris Dauphine, Universit? Paris I Panth?on Sorbonne

CD-Hypothesis.......2006-02-12

Lyrics and the instruments on this record are authentic. Music is composed by Conrad Steinmann. So it is contemporary "newly imagined" music in Ancient Greek style.
His reconstruction based on 2 main sources: 1. careful re-creation of the instruments, which helps to understand playing techinc; 2. Ancient Greek language, because "Ancient Greek is subject to rhythmical rules that regulate the lengh of the syllables...[These rules were] reconciled with tonal order of the respective instrument".
The result of this re-construction could be described in one word - beautiful!
Arianna Savall (soprano) so beautifully sings well-known lyrics by Sappho ("He Seems to Me Like Unto Gods That Man Who Sits Opposite You", "Eros Shook My Heart") and Anacreon, Alcaios so you could buy this CD only to understand how beautiful and melodic was Ancient Greek language.
As example, many sources stated that verses by Sappho were sung and these songs seemed to Ancient Greeks very melodic, delicate and beautiful. And when you are reading modern translation or even original - you have to have great imagination to understand this musical aspect of the poetry.
Here you have original lyrics, English translation and the singing, so this CD could be a kind of the textbook for the student-historian of the Antiquty.
This CD-hypothesis could be also viewed not only as academic experiment but also as best CD of New Age World music in Ancient Greek style.
Well, and if you are decided to buy this CD, why not to listen to authenitic Ancient Greek music?
I highly recommend you CDs by ENSEMBLE DE ORGANOGRAPHIA "Music of Ancient Greeks" and "Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks" (North Pacific Music)!!!!

P.S. To compare different approaches to performance of the Antique music - try also European CDs - search the Web -
Annie Belis and Ensemble Kerylos "Ancient Greek Music" (label K617)
Musica Romana "Mesomedes" and "Symphonia Panica" (label Emmuty Records)

Average customer rating: Astounding. Music for the Being and the Soul The Spirit of Nature in the Nature of the Spirit Amazing A resounding paean for the musics of our sphere!

Missa Gaia/Earth Mass Paul Winter Manufacturer: Living Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Fusion & World Fusion | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Common Ground Icarus Silver Solstice Wintersong Solstice Live! ASIN: B0000000TU Release Date: 1991-06-28

Tracks:

1. Canticle Of Brother Sun
2. Kyrie
3. Beatitudes
4. Mystery
5. Return To Gaia
6. For The Beauty Of The Earth
7. Adoro Te Devote
8. For The Beauty Of The Earth
9. Sanctus And Benedictus
10. Stained-Glass Morning
11. Sun Psalm
12. The Promise Of A Fisherman
13. The Blue Green Hills Of Earth
14. Agnus Dei
15. Let Us Go Forth In Peace

Customer Reviews:

Astounding........2006-02-21

The Missa Gaia is, by far, the most amazing choral work I have ever heard. To put it bluntly, Paul Winter and Paul Halley are geniuses. I had the privilege of performing this work with the entire Paul Winter Consort and three of the four composers of the Missa Gaia two days ago at the St. Bartholomew's Cathedral in New York City. Very few choral works have given me chills when I sang them - this one succeeded. Buy the CD. You won't regret it.

Music for the Being and the Soul.......2004-03-26

I first heard parts of Earth Mass durning a workshop on mysticism and felt the extraordinary beauty and power Paul Winter's music. I finally obtained Earth Mass, and promptly playet the disc. When the track of Mystery played, I had to replay that track, and find more information about Susan Osborne.
The words of beauty,power, and joy aren't enough while describing
her vocals and the song itself. The other tracks are equally difficult to describe. Eric Clapton once stated "Music should take you somewhere". Earth Mass takes one's being to the limit of the cathedral of life, whether it's along the Canyon, in St. John's Cathedral, or atop a mountain somewhere.

The Spirit of Nature in the Nature of the Spirit.......2004-01-17

With this CD, you are encountering the extraordinary. Paul Winter is a conceptual artist who has spent years melding music with his love for the Earth. A gifted performer who provides his audience not with the expected, or the entirely familiar, but begs the ear to listen and the soul to respond. This is not background music, these creations need to be listened to actively.

Living Music Records, Inc. compiled this CD from two of Paul's performances at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City, it was commissioned by the Dean of the Cathedral as a contemporary ecumenical mass. A celebration of the Natural and the Spiritual together as only Paul Winter could create it. Recordings of humpback whales, harp seals, wrens and loons weave in and out of the tapestry of music. The vocals on the CD are the Cathedral Choristers and the stunning solos of Susan Osborn, whose voice needs no ornamentation to soar.

Profound, joyful and powerful in its expression, the emotion inspired by Paul's work can sometimes be hard to put to words. #2, Kyrie, is one of my favorite pieces, opening with the mournful sounds of the humpback whales. #4, Mystery, beautifully showcases the voice of Susan Osborne in all its power and majesty. #10 Stained-Glass Morning is an absolutely stunning combination of Eugene Friesen on cello with the sounds of birds making this short piece feel as though it takes place under the trees in a forest. But every selection is wondrous-and each selection is a work of art to be reflected on.

If you happen to be in New York City, please try a catch one of Paul Winter's performances at St. John the Divine. I guarantee you it's an amazing, soul-stirring experience. While this CD can be difficult to get hold of, find it if you can! And I do recommend checking out some of Paul's other musical works of art that are more readily available. While not for the casual listener, this is an intense workout for the ears, mind and spirit that should not be missed!

Happy Listening! Shanshad ^_^

Amazing.......2003-09-12

This is one of the most amazing works I have ever heard in my life. I will be privilaged enough in a few weeks to be able to perform the Earth Mass with Mr. Winter in NYC with my Chamber Choir. This will be the second time I have been able to sing with him.
I absolutely love performing this piece- the mix of the hymns, gospel and traditional, and the animal songs just makes such wonderful music all together- it's literally breath taking and should leave you speechless. If you get the chance- go attend the service at St. John's..otherwise just buy the cd because it is simply incredible!

A resounding paean for the musics of our sphere!.......2002-05-10

This is an ecumenical, ecological world view of how the idea and the form of liturgical music might be adapted to a celebration of Mother Earth as much as it is a CD full of performance highlights.

Paul Winter remembers:

"My first visit to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine was in the spring of 1974, for the funeral of Duke Ellington. The experience of hearing the extraordinary music of this service in the awesome space of the Cathedral was profoundly moving. A succession of renowned jazz soloists, all alumni of the Ellington Orchestra, played and sang great Ellington songs to a congregation of 10,000. This music felt entirely appropriate in the Cathedral. These songs were hymns of our lives.

"As we were leaving, recordings of Ellington came through the sound system, and I can still hear the velvet, liquid tone of Johnny Hodges' sax soaring way up in the vault of the Cathedral. I had then no clue that several years later I myself would have the opportunity to play in the Cathedral; and the last thing I would have dreamed is that I would be making music for liturgy."

From that day forward, the experience seems to have "informed" his playing style. The fact that he subsequently became an artist in residence at the Cathedral (and is now the principal artist in residence) is testimony to the experience. And it has provided him with a performance and recording venue that is perfect for his horn and for the ensembles he chooses to perform there. Moreover, it is nigh impossible to separate the Cathedral from its vast acoustic space and its wonderful organ, and one might as well take advantage of these facts. Nobody does this better than Paul Winter.

At risk of playing favorites, Paul Winter and Paul Halley do some of their best work in "Return to Gaia." Both are at the top of their form here; Halley's extended organ improvisation reminds us of what Virgil Fox was capable of doing so brilliantly on his better days. "Sanctus and Benedictus" is guaranteed to bring your musical muscles and bones alive, but be advised that it's probably not a good idea to listen to it while driving an automobile! And the several tracks that feature Susan Osborn showcase a wonderful and totally unique gospel voice that causes one to ask, "How do we get to hear more of Ms. Osborn?"

As much as the music is ecumenical in its inspiration, it is equally ecumenical in its usage of musical instruments. Human musicians and the musics of various fauna species peacefully coexist in this joyous music. With only moderately careful listening, you can also experience the inventive coexistence of sitar, electric bass and a battery of world percussion with the more usual instruments in the Paul Winter Consort (if oboe, English horn, cello and pipe organ can be called "usual") as well as all of the outstanding singing by the remarkable Ms. Osborn and the chorus of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The electric bass riff in "The Promise of a Fisherman" (based on the Afro-Brazilian chant "Iemanja") stands out, and adds further testimony to Paul Winter's own musical ecumenicism.

A full description, in Paul Winter's own words, of how the Missa Gaia came to be, can be found at his Living Music website (livingmusic.com/concerts/earthmass.html). The interested reader is encouraged to go to this web page to fill in the blanks that this regrettably short review cannot cover.

An essential Paul Winter "classic." Sheer joy from start to finish. Highly recommended!

Bob Zeidler

Average customer rating: Banco de Gaia is the best What! no kitchen sink? I wants my money back! A powerful reminder of what music is all about... My Rating: Ten Fingers Down? Listening and Spacing Out Here in the Heart of Ferengistan

Farewell Ferengistan Banco de Gaia Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Last Train to Lhasa You Are Here Igizeh The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Maya ASIN: B000FFP0CI Release Date: 2006-07-04

Tracks:

1. Farewell Ferengistan
2. Ynys Elen
3. Chingiz
4. Kara Kum
5. The Harmonious G8
6. Saturn Return
7. Flow My Dreams, The Android Wept
8. White Man's Burden
9. We All Know The Truth (You Have God)

Amazon.com

There are a few artists in the swirl of U.K. electronica that keep trying to push the boundaries, and Banco de Gaia is one of them. The ethno-techno design that founder Toby Marks debuted some 15 years ago was already a broad palette to draw upon, but Marks goes beyond that. He's still using the Middle Eastern grooves and chants which may or may not be fake, but there's also the dreamy atmospheres of the title track, a drifting ambient tonic that segues into an almost '50s-style rock piano riff on "Ynys Elen." Like most of Banco's music, there are always hidden touches and references. "Flow My Dreams, the Android Wept" not only nods to Philip K. Dick, but the vocoder vocal on Wendy Carlos's A Clockwork Orange score as well. Marks has said that he doesn't want to just make "wave your hands in the air" music, but he does do that so well, including the epic "Kara Kum," with the pounding Qawaali drumming driving the track into ecstasy. But as Last Train to Lhasa illustrated, Marks has always been a musician who puts his politics into his music. Farewell Ferengistan pushes even deeper into themes of globalization, nation-building, and mechanization. In a mostly lyric-free music, those concepts are implied more than proselytized, and even when he makes a political comment, it's often with a wink. He relates that "Ferengistan" is an ancient Arabic name for the West. I can find no corroboration for that claim, but knowing Marks, it's really a nod to Star Trek and its venal Ferengi race. Like all Banco de Gaia's albums, Farewell Ferengistan is a journey, sometimes joyful, often bittersweet. --John Diliberto

Album Description

"Farewell Ferengistan", once again mixes up sounds from around the planet with slamming grooves and ambient meditations. From the Bhangra-esque dance monster, "Kara Kum" to the epic "Saturn Return", Ferengistan is filled with the kind of fresh sounds, that have won Banco a rabid fan base around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Banco de Gaia is the best.......2007-06-27

This music is the best. you just fly out of your body when you here the first sounds of this cd. It's worth buying it. buy it as soon as you can!!!!

What! no kitchen sink? I wants my money back!.......2006-12-29

This is peculiar album, really. I got it as one of the 'record store employee pix'(often a mistake, no, always a mistake, on second thought) from out of the electronica section, but it sounded like something good. In fact, it ain't half bad being, as it is, a mixture of a whole bunch of beats --mostly down ones--accompanying a whole bunch of different lyrical frameworks, and this is what kind of gets under one's skin, actually. It seems like these guys were trying ever so hard to be 'diverse'. So much so what with their stuff ranging from Arabic, to Hindi (or something similarly foreign) to Spanish to Tuva (?) throat singing, etc. in like vein ad nauseum, that after a while one gets a bit fed up and overwhelmed by it all. As A certain ethnic group is so fond of saying 'Enough already' Look, we all like a little something different in our lives but moderation is the key here. Listening to this album all the way through (something I've only been able to do a couple of times and then only as background music) reminds one what it must be like to date a schizophrenic. This is not A bad album but there is so much stuff going on all the time that it just seems scattershot to me. It's scattershot chill music I guess and if that sounds good to you: Go for it!!! Otherwise do like I'm gonna do and sample some of the earlier stuff by this lot. Farewell is not the same as Good Riddance but in this album it comes pretty close, I think.

A powerful reminder of what music is all about..........2006-10-30

Toby Marks has given us an excellent musical journey with his newest album. Although the amazon reviews have been mixed on the musical merits esp. when compared to his previous albums and the lack of consistency, here's my take: the album rocks!! It's a beautiful mix with an underlying theme of all that's being forgotten in our modern existence: farewell ferengistan is an eulogy to the innocence that is rapidly disappearing in the current divisive world. The title track infuses haunting arabic vocals with a slow background that has stayed with me since I first heard it. Other tracks that I have come to really like are Chingiz and Saturn Return.
Do yourself a favor and join the journey that is Banco De Gaia...

My Rating: Ten Fingers Down?.......2006-10-10

I see that the Amazon review of this album quotes Toby Marks himself as saying he "doesn't just want to make 'wave your hands in the air' music." While this album is blessedly free of the treacly lyrical and vocal performances that made its precedessor You Are Here the only really bad Banco disc, it simply doesn't match all the previous discs for sheer tunefulness and enjoyment -- and his statement hints at the reason why.

The hallmark of the best Banco has always been its mesmerizing beats. Some are at dance speed, like "Kuos" on Lhasa, the opening salvos of several other albums, and the bookend opening and closing tracks on the aptly named Magical Sounds. Even the otherwise misbegotten You Are Here had one rousing cut, "Zeus No Like Techno." They didn't have to be danceable -- some were, some weren't -- but they were beat-based, accessible at several levels, and determinedly driving.

This disc has two basic problems. One is the dreaded Recording Contract Annual Obligation Disease, which manifests itself in an album that simply doesn't have enough ideas per minute. Toby's production at the mixing board is impeccable as usual, but there just aren't the same number of interesting little changes and subtle builds in the arrangement that Banco veterans are spoiled for.

Which leads to the other problem. On the heels of You Are Here, this new disc seems to confirm that Marks is tired of, and now actively resisting, what he does best. Comedians always want to be dramatists, it seems, and dramatists want to be comedians. That's fine if the old strength gives way to an equally compelling new one. But in this case it just isn't there. This album, while not unpleasant or objectionable, is simply Banco de Gaia that fails to make you wave your hands in the air. And that's as bland as Smores without the chocolate.

Listening and Spacing Out Here in the Heart of Ferengistan.......2006-08-13

This is really a first-class album in the ambient-electronica genre, with each track contributing to the total overall effect. Haunting and atmospheric and yet dynamic and dramatic, cosmic and ethereal and yet edged with earthly concerns and subtle humor, this music is as complex in mood and tone as it is in cross-cultural musical influences. My only nitpick comes from my personal preference for instrumental music: the last track, with its (admittedly fine) lyrics and vocals, ended this wonderful album on a bit of a weak note for me. But not enough to displace this CD from being one of this year's favorites as far as I am concerned.

While I have a few other albums by this group, I'm admittedly something of a casual fan, and I highly recommend some of the excellent, informative reviews on this page by more dedicated and knowledgeable fans. Based on my experience, though, this seems to be one of Banco De Gaia's stronger efforts, one that I will be listening to for years to come.

(Just for the record, the word "Ferengi" really is what the liner notes claim it to be, an Arabic word for European mercantilist traders and hence for Westerners/foreigners in general. The Star Trek usage is based upon this, as the Ferengi were meant in part as a sly satirical swipe at the hyper-capitalist expansionism of the West in the 19th and 20th centuries. That being so, though, these end up being mutually reinforcing references, both of which perhaps were intended to resonate with the listener.)

Average customer rating: A classic that never grows old Dance Extravaganza A quick note a landmark electronic music album driving through mountains while the sun is rising

Last Train to Lhasa Banco De Gaia Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Farewell Ferengistan Maya The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Big Men Cry Igizeh ASIN: B000065T21 Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

1. Last Train To Lhasa
2. Kuos
3. China (Clouds Not Mountains)
4. Amber
5. Kincajou
6. White Paint
7. 887 (Structure)

Tracks:

1. Kuos (Gnomes Mix)
2. Kincajou (Duck! Asteroid)
3. Eagle (Small Steppa Mix)

Amazon.com

Banco de Gaia's long-out-of-print masterpiece runs wild with a hypnotic stream of world beat and ambient techno, successfully fusing elements of Eastern and Arabic music that would sound contrived in less talented hands. As a political statement, Last Train to Lhasa's subtle grace is an effective and eloquent way to express the tragic destruction of Tibetan culture in the face of Chinese occupation. But the strength of the listening experience will keep you coming back, regardless of your stance on the issue. The two-disc set jumps from choppy, Goa-style trance ("Kuos") to blue-room chill tunes ("China (clouds not mountains)") and the perfectly integrated chant samples of "Kincajou." Along with de Gaia's 1994 debut, Maya, Train crashed through stylistic barriers as if they didn't exist, helping pave the way for the now fashionable global techno and downtempo styles of artists like dZihan & Kamien and Gavin Hardkiss's Hawke alter ego. Kudos to Six Degrees Records for reissuing the work of this adventurous, reflective artist. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews:

A classic that never grows old.......2007-05-13

I first heard this album after downloading it from usenet. I fell in love with it immediately and went looking for more from this artist when I discovered the album was out of print! This became a big deal some months later when I had a hard drive crash and lost all my music. Fortunately, I was able to purchase it online via emusic's fantastic "25 track" introductory deal.

As luck would have it, a year or so later I AGAIN lost my music (no, I don't keep backups because usually it can all be found again) but am delighted to find that now this album has been reissued so I can at last PURCHASE it and have the CD on my shelf (the ultimate backup).

If you like techno, trance, ambient, house, or even "new age" you won't go wrong with this album. It's a fantastic journey that plays well in the car, at work, or late at night - whether alone or with someone special.

Dance Extravaganza.......2007-02-12

I think this style of music would be called House. It's the music you hear in a dance club. Thump thump thump thump thump for 7 minutes or so, then the thumping stops and a fluttering synthesizer swirls around long enough for you to catch your breathe and trip out for a while. Then the thumping starts again. Sort of like the 21st century version of disco. There are some interesting talking dubs here and there, and great rhythms, but nothing stands out as really creative or catchy. I wouldn't say it's bland necessarily, well maybe a little.

This is a good thing in my opinion. It's definitely not pop music, thank God. It's great in a club. It doesn't translate well to my home, though. Probably, this would be better for an ipod. If you are working out or running or dancing, this would be perfect. I don't know if it would be interesting enough for me while driving.

I would suggest downloading it from the internet rather than buying the CD. It looks like that is the way the industry is heading anyway. Who needs all those CD's stacked all over the place. Save the plastic for the take out containers and mesclun salad packaging. Maybe we should all just go digital.

I'd probably give it 3 1/2 stars, but that's not an option so it gets 3. Definitely not 4.

A quick note.......2006-09-01

I heard a track of this CD while driving, wrote down the name and ordered it immediately from Amazon. The main track -- Last Train to Lhasa -- is a classic. I have listened to it dozens of times and it doesn't get old.

It is electronic music, which I usually do not bother with, but Banco de Gaio is compelling. They have carried the train theme throughout the track, a drumming beat that becomes insistent as the song goes on and drives the mood and excitement. The long track develops vocals and instrumentals around the train theme. It dies out slowly, as does a train fading into the distance, and leaves you wanting to begin the piece again.

a landmark electronic music album.......2005-08-14

I absolutely adore this album. It's political without being brash (in fact, without very many words at all), it's got dance beats but it's not your standard formulaic techno, and it's got a nice variety of Eastern instruments and that worldbeat sound, but it's fresh and uncliched, and, like Paul Simon and Talking Heads and other great artists from the U.S. or the U.K. who borrowed from musical styles from elsewhere around the globe, this feels like true musical exploration rather than theft. Toby Marks is a musician, not a sample plunderer, and a whole lot in the electronic music world today (many of them on the Six Degrees label) quite possibly owe their musical existence to groundbreaking records like this one.

More important even than all of the sociopolitical ramifications of the record, the record is REALLY REALLY GOOD. It's much lighter and more delicate than what I've heard of "Maya," the album that immediately precedes this one. But this is not electromuzak, and I assure you even when it's not danceable (which is actually rather often), that it's not boring.

P.S. The mixes on the second disc are so unbelievably long that it's a little over the top. But who cares?! Disc 1 is great.

driving through mountains while the sun is rising.......2004-02-27

I bought this in the summer of 1995 - just in time for a long drive with beautiful weather. That whole weekend I was mesmerized by the music. I still am. And whenever I get the opportunity to take a long drive, I savor putting in this cd at just the right time - when there ain't much traffic and the scenery is beautiful. . .

Average customer rating: Brilliant Work Music Excellent Intro to the World of Six Degrees ear popping smorgasbord

Six Degrees 100 Various Artists Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Ethnomixicology Traveler 06: A Six Degrees Collection African Travels: A Six Degrees Collection Latin Travels: Six Degrees Collection Bombay Dub Orchestra ASIN: B0001IXSY6 Release Date: 2004-03-16

Tracks:

1. Euphoria Delirium
2. Wally Brill A Loop in Time (Banco de Gaia Remix)
3. dj Cheb i Sabbah Kese Kese
4. Bob Holroyd Drumming Up a Storm
5. Issa Bagayogo Baro
6. Suba Felicidade
7. Bobi Cedes Lenu (Sounds of Summer Remix) feat. Rob Swift
8. Michael Franti & Spearhead Stay Human (Stereo Steambath Remix)
9. Bebel Gilberto So Nice (Summer Samba)
10. dZihan & Kamien Stiff Jazz
11. Batidos Tengo Sed (The Batidos Song)
12. MIDIval PunditZ Bhangra Fever
13. Banco de Gaia I Love Baby Cheesy (Radio Edit)
14. Karsh Kale Milan

Album Description

Six Degrees Records celebrates their 100'th release with this specially priced compilation.  Six Degrees 100 features all of the label's most popular tracks performed by such artists as Bebel Gilberto, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Euphoria, Suba, dj Cheb i Sabbah, dZihan & Kamien and many others.

Hearing all of these tracks back to back provides ample proof that Six Degrees' reputation - innovative, independent, and intelligent - is well-earned.  Since its first release in 1996, the label has made its mark quickly, producing genre-bending records that explore world music traditions, modern dance grooves, electronic music, and overlooked pop gems.

"What Six Degrees has put on the market has transformed forever the concept of electronic music." - La Banda Elastica

" Six Degrees has set college radio and music connoisseurs on their heads with their unique brand of electronic world music. The crossroads where past-meets-future and east-meets-west has set the world afire, and has set other labels scurrying around to contribute their own flames to the frenzy." - Ink 19,

"Six Degrees [has] garnered a formidable reputation with their unique blend of electronic world music and inspired myriad imitators." - BPM

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Work Music.......2007-04-19

I thoroughly enjoy ambient techno (especially any that uses the tabla drum) when I am trying to concentrate on difficult problems or reports. This album has an amazing mix of different artists that come together seamlessly to relax my mind and focus my thoughts. I highly recommend it for any college student or over-worked cube monkey (like me)!

Excellent Intro to the World of Six Degrees .......2005-08-08

I love finding great comps like this one. The variety keeps things interesting and it's a great way to get turned on to new artists. Even if you don't find every track appealing, chances are you'll find much else to love if you like international flavors and have a sense of adventure.

For me, the most thrilling discovery I've made through this CD is dZihan & Kamien. Their modern take on Latin-jazz found on "Stiff Jazz" is at once relaxing and thrilling and I love the electronic touches. Some time ago, I fell in love with a certain David Bowie track called "South Horizon" from his BHUDDA OF SUBURBIA CD (see my review if interested). It's basically an excellent jazz track with techno elements mixed in. Since then I've been on the lookout for innovative variations on jazz that incorporate electronica, trip-hop, etc. If you have any suggestions for this kind of music, please get my e-address from my home page and drop me a line.

Other highlights: practically every track here is a highlight! There are other great examples of original, Latin-flavored jazz like "Lenu" by Bobi Cespedes with some stellar trumpet, vibes and fantastic drums. There's also some wild turntable action on this track that works amazingly well. The Michael Franti & Spearhead track is smooth and wonderful with a positive message. I also love the East Indian club track by MIDIval PunditZ and the Karsh Kale cut is epic and beautiful, love all those tablas.

If you're new to 6 DEGREES I would highly recommend getting this sampler. It's a great way to expand your musical horizons.

ear popping smorgasbord.......2004-04-10

I came to this collection in search of the track "Delirium" by Euphoria, which, with its slick guitar work, is an innovative invitation to the rest of the album. While originally intent on finding more Asian electronica, this international collection has an amazing array of gems, ranging from the sultry "Stay Human" and "So Nice (Summer Samba)" to the perky "Stiff Jazz" and "Bhangra Fever." Karsh Kale's "Milan" rounds out the collection. By the end of the collection, I feel as though I have taken a trip around the world, sampling a wide assortment of music from the four corners. Music for mutliple moods will be found here. It's also a great introduction to new artists that you may not have come across before. Having heard this collection, I'm on the search for more by Euphoria, Wally Brill, and Karsh Kale. I would also really be interested in hearing more of the Six Degrees albums. This is a great testament to the quality of the work of the label.

Average customer rating: Innovative Album who the hell is this ? 1.5 stars WHEN NATURE CALLS WE ALL SHALL DROWN decent but not like their debut wildhoney

Wildhoney/Gaia Tiamat Manufacturer: Century Media ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: A Deeper Kind of Slumber Clouds/The Sleeping Beauty Skeleton Skeletron Astral Sleep Judas Chrisst ASIN: B000005HM2 Release Date: 1994-10-25

Tracks:

1. Wildhoney
2. Whatever That Hurts
3. The Ar
4. 25th Floor
5. Gaia
6. Visionaire
7. Kaleidoscope
8. Do You Dream Of Me?
9. Planets
10. A Pocket Size Sun

Customer Reviews:

Innovative Album.......2007-01-06

This album gets a lower average rating than it deserves, as it probably gets a fair share of reviewers who are not into this music genre. In other words, in mid 90s, Tiamat made a change in their direction from death metal with growls to more melodic gothic rock/metal with some mellow solos. If you like both kinds of music, you will not be dissapointed. If you like progressive rock, you will not be dissapointed. Death metal fans may be dissapointed, as this isn't music at 100 miles per hour. I say that it has a lower average rating than it deserves as you get a fair share of reviewers from outside of this genre reviewing it (mostly speed metal fans), which is often not the case with other cd's. I.e., none of you reading this will take their time to review a Britney Spears cd and write that it's the worst thing ever written (I can't believe that I am using Tiamat and Britney in the same paragraph).

So, back to this cd - every song on here is good. The words are funny in some cases (whether it was intentional or not), but all these songs are catchy with nice solos and melodies. There is some nice use of electric and acoustic guitars, which is probably why some folks say that this music is similar to Pink Floyd. I can definitely detect some Floyd influence, but similarities are really minimal. If you like this cd, you will definitely not be dissapointed with their follow-up releases: Deeper Kind of Slumber, Skeleton Skeletron, Judas Christ (their most accessible cd) and Prey.

who the hell is this ? 1.5 stars .......2007-01-05

This certainly does not resemble the same band that released The Astral Sleep, The Summerian Cry and Clouds. This sure isnt groundbreaking or a landmark release like many have hailed it and it sure isnt metal. Why people insist on saying this is Floyd mixed with death metal is beyond me - this new version of Tiamat is not even close to sounding like Pink Floyd and it sounds nothing like death metal. To say they sound like Pink Floyd is surely a joke, I dont hear ANYTHING like Floyd's Echoes or A Saucerful of Secrets.

What a waste.

WHEN NATURE CALLS WE ALL SHALL DROWN.......2006-10-08

Could be better, but basicaly essential for the unbelievable track 'Gaia' which propels metal into some kind of hyper emotional, intensely atmospheric realm of shimmering, unadulterated beauty, with crystalline keyboards encasing wandering, soporific melodies which draw the listener into a vortex of heightened, synaesthetic bliss. Ahem.
The main riff in 'The Ar' is absolutely classic as well. Perahps a bit too open and spacious in places then (pointing to a lack of ideas sometimes) but when everything clicks, this easily ranks among the best and most influential metal albums ever created.

decent but not like their debut.......2006-06-10

Very interesting album, I like most tracks, my favorites being Ar and Whatever That Hurts

wildhoney.......2005-12-02

Incredible atmospheric hard rock/metal. Do you dream of me? is basically pink floyd's 'goodbye cruel world' at twice the speed. I've given this CD to a hippy friend of mine who is into floyd and zeppelin and he admits that after he got used to the commercial-type-death-metal-vocals he was absolutely into this album. Wildhoney is the type of CD you should listen to with a 12 pack of beer next to you. Why Tiamat didnt continue in this direction is sadder than saying 'michael vick is a good quarterback'. I've heard newer releases from Tiamat, and this is their crowning glory.

Average customer rating: Different! Not bad, not great either The Best Natural Music Full of Magick CD holding open hands together creating waterfall! The sounds of nature

Gaia Kitaro Manufacturer: Domo Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Electronic | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Mandala Thinking of You Ancient The Light of the Spirit An Ancient Journey ASIN: B000006ROB Release Date: 1998-05-19

Tracks:

1. Yamadashi: Tanne/Prayer
2. Misty
3. Gaia
4. Wood Fairy
5. Satobiki
6. Kiotoshi

Amazon.com

Inspired by the centuries-old Onbashira Matsuri (Pillar Festival) in Japan, Gaia Onbashira is an ambitious work of programmatic (that is, inspired by an outside, non-musical event) music that combines ancient percussion and wind instruments with a modern approach and some excellent synthesizer work. This ambition is most fully realized on the two-part "Yamadashi," which progresses steadily from a low-key beginning to rhythmic, taiko-style drumming and singing. This progression from simple beginnings to more and more complex musical structures is a feature on this album; the only real exception is "Kiotoshi," which has a classical-style concerto construction. Kitaro's sweeping, cinematic style is impressive and often enchanting; one is often left wondering what would happen if he had a full orchestra to work with. --Genevieve Williams

Album Description

Gaia Onbashira is a musical exploration of respect and how it relates to ancient traditions. Gaia loosely translates to Goddess of the Earth or Mother Earth and Onbashira is a festival that occurs every seven years in Japan. During the Onbashira festival, eight individuals are chosen for spiritually cleansing. The participants ascend a mountain and attempt to spiritually connect with the heavens through the trees. These trees are then allowed to fall down the mountain and eventually become posts and the foundation of a ceremonial shrine. Through these events, these individuals learn to become more in touch with their spirits.

This album is a far-reaching journey that brings together influences of the East and West, past and present, history and future. These tracks resonate with earthly sounds and the history embodied in pre-Columbian wind and percussion instruments.

Customer Reviews:

Different!.......2002-05-23

This work though recognisably Kitaro is very Japanese and comes across as his "roots" music. If you just enjoy the melodic tracks such as Silk Road or Koi, you might find this a challenge but keep on going to the end cos Track 6 incorporating some spinetingling wailing is nothing short of sublime. Turn down the lights and turn up the volume - and be transported.

Not bad, not great either.......2002-01-19

On the whole this is a very typical `new age' release - not a genre I like very much. However, there is some good guitar work and interesting vocals in the first two or three tracks. Makes for nice listening. However, after that, it's pretty much downhill. Generally they start to sound the same, making it quite tiresome. If you like Kitaro I suppose you'll like "Gaia," otherwise look elsewhere for good mood music.

The Best Natural Music Full of Magick.......2000-07-27

His music flows and ebbs in so many ways. He is the master of his art and is one of the better composers of this time. Your mind can take the journey into a realm that is not quite human, but is deeply moving and spiritual. It envolves the mind, body and spirit which he implements to the fullest to make the best mixture of nature, music and spirit. I could not recommend a better CD to anyone who wants to relax or meditate and feel the moods of emotion that he lets the listener become a part of. Music this good should be shared by all.

CD holding open hands together creating waterfall!.......2000-07-20

Sorry folks, I cannot remember the name of Kitaro's first CD which I had. It simply disappeared one day. I used to lie on the couch when listening to his healing music and end up falling asleep peacefully, every single time. It sure did me so much good! I acquire "Gaia Onbashira" because I suspect I may be enjoying the same, original Kitaro-sound, which I go for a 100%! My guess is that his Christmas album should be a very worhwhile and classic CD to possess and I suppose I shall ending up having this one in my collection too! By the way, where happened to the "Silk Road"? I used to have those too and they are highly recommendable. There is nothing like nature! I brings out the best or the worst in one.

The sounds of nature.......2000-05-31

This Kitaro CD is one of the lushest, most ravishing of all. A fusion of spirit and nature. If there was music in the Garden of Eden, this would be it. It is the essence of Mother Earth singing to us.

Average customer rating: Great collection of 19th/20th Century music It's about Time!

Women of Note ~ Beach, Boulanger, Clarke, Gubaidulina, Larsen, Mendelssohn, Monk, Musgrave, Ran, Zwilich Libby Larsen , Sofia Gubaidulina , Nadia Boulanger , Germaine Tailleferre , Amy Beach , Lili Boulanger , Ellen Taaffe Zwilich , Rebecca Clarke , Clara Wieck Schumann , Sofiya Asgatovna Gubaydulina , Meredith Monk , Shulamit Ran , Thea Musgrave , Galina Ustvolskaya , Royal Philharmonic Chorus , Minnesota Orchestra , Women's Philharmonic , Louisville Orchestra , English Chamber Orchestra , New Zealand Chamber Orchestra , Joann Falletta , Joel Revzen , James Sedares , Nicholas Braithwaite , Arleen Auger , Nina Flyer , and Chi Fun Lee Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beach | Beach, Amy Marcy Cheney | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Gubaidulina, Sofia | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Larsen, Libby | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn-Hensel | Mendelssohn-Hensel, Fanny | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Clara Wieck Schumann | Schumann, Clara Wieck | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tailleferre | Tailleferre, Germaine | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Harp | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Viola | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Fanny Mendelssohn & Clara Schumann Piano Trios [IMPORT] The Women Composers Women's Voices: Five Centuries of Song The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers Amy Beach: "Gaelic" Symphony; Piano Concerto ASIN: B000001SKH Release Date: 1997-08-19

Tracks:

1. Concertino For Harp (Allegretto)
2. Three Pieces For Cello And Piano (Vite et nerveusement rythme)
3. Sonnets Fro The Portuguese (How Do I Love Thee?)
4. Das Jahr (Mai)
5. Du'un Matin de Priintemps
6. Ballad In Db
7. Symphony No. 3 (Largo)
8. Missa Gaia (Introit)
9. Sonata (Impetuoso)
10. Sonata (Adagio
11. Ten Preludes For Cello (Preludes 1 - 4): Staccato - Legato
12. Ten Preludes For Cello (Preludes 1 - 4): Legato - Staccato
13. Ten Preludes For Cello (Preludes 1 - 4): Con Sordino - Senza Sordino
14. Ten Preludes For Cello (Preludes 1 - 4): Ricochet
15. Travel Song
16. Three Fantasy Movements (Slow)
17. Orfeo II (Orpheo Laments)
18. Sonata No. 6

Customer Reviews:

Great collection of 19th/20th Century music.......2003-08-12

This is a great collection of works from 19th and 20th century women composers. Keep in mind, it is only a small sample of what's available, but an excellent place to start. It is also a good choice if you are a teacher wanting to introduce women composers to your class and do not want to invest in dozens of CDs. There are no large-scale works on this CD, so it is ideal as a sampler (or for use with kids in a classroom setting). I highly recommend this CD.

It's about Time!.......2001-12-07

A top-notch sampling of mainly 20th-century music by women composers, including Lili Boulanger and Pulitzer Prize-winners Ellen Taaffe Zwilich and Shulamit Ran, this cd proves that the music has been excellent all along. What we have needed are good recordings of superior performances. The samples often are brief--e.g., a single movement from Clarke's cello sonata--yet do provide jumping off points for more concentrated pursuit of favorite composers. Those uninitiated in women's works will become familiar here with some of the best of the last 150 years: Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Thea Musgrave, and on and on. I hope every author of a text on music since 1840 will come to know and adore this cd, then include the music in their discussions of music history. It's about time!

Average customer rating: recipe for magic... taste it! Banco de Gaia - 'Igizeh' (Six Degrees) More Magical Sounds it's a vacation Inner-Gyptian Journey Tracks

Igizeh Banco de Gaia Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: You Are Here Maya Farewell Ferengistan The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Big Men Cry ASIN: B00004Y9Y1 Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

1. Seti I
2. Obsidian
3. Creme Egg
4. Glove Puppet (Vocal Version)
5. Gizeh
6. How Much Reality Can You Take?
7. B2
8. Fake It Till You Make It
9. Sixty Sixteen (For Karina)

Amazon.com

Toby Marks, the musical alchemist behind Banco de Gaia, made his reputation by infusing Asian and Middle Eastern musical elements into his dub mixes, resulting in a compelling world music-electronica hybrid. For Igizeh, he has further blurred the constituent genres' boundaries, softening the house beat just a bit and letting his disparate inspirations swirl into a dreamy, intoxicating sonic daydream. If that's the club's loss, it's certainly the listener's gain. Much of the album was recorded in Egypt (including segments produced inside the Great Pyramid at Giza and the Temple of Seti I at Thebes), but to his credit Marks cannily avoids many easy world music and ambient clichés; Jennifer Folkes's soulful vocals on "Obsidian" and "Glove Puppet" are not the least of the stylish balancing act between East and West presented herein. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

recipe for magic... taste it!.......2006-08-25

You take some Pink Floyd, a bit of Groove Armada, two slices of Chemical Brothers, maybe a little bit of Moby, you cover it with high quality ethnic chill ambientation cream (and not the usual samples we ALWAYS get to have in this genre), also a pinch of psychedelic, you mix it, you shake it, you blend it, you twist it, use it as a maraca, and there you have it!!! BANCO DE GAIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Banco de Gaia - 'Igizeh' (Six Degrees).......2005-01-06

'Igizeh' is the artist's sixth album.I,guess Banco de Gaia IS basically one musician,multi-instrumentalist Toby Marks.Helping him in the making of 'Igizeh' is session vocalist,known in certain music circles-Jennifer Folker.Best way to describe this CD is good ambient techno with a trippy vibe to it.The cuts that I found most impressive were "Obsidian",the state-of-the-art trancedelic "Creme Egg","How Much Reality Can You Take?","B2"(sort of reminds me of the Anubian Lights)and the eleven-minute "Fake It Till You Make It".Not a bad find.Might appeal to fans of System 7,Eat Static and The Orb.

More Magical Sounds.......2003-04-26

Bottom Line: Igizeh is Egyptian inspired, and parts of it was recorded at the Great Pyramid. Marks brews a magical blend of of instruments, sound effects, and uplifting chants.

The opening track "Seti I" starts off softly. All you hear at first is a distant voice, like an Islamic call to prayer, and a soft ambient hum. Gradually, very gradually, more instruments join in. Drums, tambourine, keyboards, then a vocal wail. It ramps up slowly building in volume and sophistication of theme until the chant begins. The volume and intensity continues to build and it isn't until five minutes into the song that it finally reaches full bore. Though highly unusual it is very effective. You are by now thoroughly hooked by the driving beat and the stirring group chant and mesmerized by the fluttering about of electronic themes. It is a journey to a distant land where you are sitting in on a tribal song. Though the song is long at well over eight minutes, it still seems too short.

"Obsidian" is great song featuring a fabulous vocal performance by Jennifer Folker. Part torch song part techno dance track, Obsidian has a very catchy tune, impassioned singing and a very dancey beat. The lyrics switch between English and other languages and non-languages, with the key English verse being "visions of yesterday, today." Hopefully some club DJs will pick up on this great song. The song inspired a remix CD.

A male Indian vocalist starts it out "Crème Egg," giving way to an electronic interlude with a speed reminiscent of "Flight of the Bumblebee." The middle section features a south Asian chanter wonderfully mixed with swirling synthesizer, bass, and drums. It concludes again with the original vocalist.

Marks had released an instrumental version of "Glove Puppet" on The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia. Here, he adds a stunning emotive vocal by Jennifer Folker, improving an already great song exponentially. The very emotional lyrics are superbly sung by Folker and the electronics and vocals form a deep gothic song.

"Gizeh" is a very odd tune. Vocal samples of strange muffled shouts, the words or even language of which are indecipherable. Synthesized strings provide a Beethovenesque feel. The song is very grand in scope

"How Much Reality Can You Take?" is a sitar song in the tradition of Ananda Shankar. Upbeat from the very first bar, it is a hard driving psychedelic trip. Marks sets down the central sitar theme than plays with variations on it throughout the song, the same approach Orbital uses. Secondary themes from percussion and keyboards call and respond to the sitar. Very fast and energetic, it is impossible to sit still listening to it. It really shows off Mark's composing skill.

"B2" considerably slows down the pace with an ambient-tinged song. Synth and female backing vocals lay down a pleasant groove joined by a woodwind solo (synthesized but sounding most like a flute). Spacey and trippy.

"Fake It Till You Make It" is like a lighter version of Gizeh, with similar samples but more emphasis on the strings. About five minutes in it suddenly shifts into an early 70's funk groove and before you know it you are hearing a Hammond organ jam session. What the . . . . Unexpected but kinda cool, oops, I mean groovy. After the three minute jam session, we return to the earlier theme. At nearly 12 minutes, the song is a bit long for what it has to offer.

"Sixty Sixteen" begins with a church-like organ solo gradually replaced by a steel guitar in turn replaced by synthed strings. It is an atmospheric song gradually picking up the pace then slowing back down again.

In sum, Igizeh is mostly a trippy space album, grandiose in scale, at times reminiscent of Tangerine Dream. Really, the nine tracks are four songs. Tracks 1, 2, 4, and 6 being discrete entities, while the rest are all different expressions of the same basic musical theme. This is not a criticism as it works quite well. But unless that theme grabs you, you will get bored before you get to the end of the album. I think that explains the organ jam mid way through track 8. Still, there is so much to like about this CD. Igizeh definitely establishes Banco de Gaia as one of the foremost world fusion artists.

it's a vacation.......2003-04-22

The whole theme of this one is "vacation," and Toby Marks did after all record most of the tracks inside various ancient Egyption monuments. Sounds like it, too... there's a general feeling of echoing ancient ambience to this whole disc.
It feels a bit like Marks was in vacation mode when he wrote this, too... it's not as sharp, unique, or original as previous releases, and a couple of the tracks don't really seem to go anywhere or are bogged down in their own reverb.
I give this four stars because it's still Banco and has Banco's stamp of technically mastery and musical intrigue. But never has there been a greater divide between the haves and the have-nots on one of his albums. "Obsidian," for instance, is a marvelous track reminiscent of earlier dancey efforts like "Heliopolis" and "Data Inadequate." "Gizeh," the sort-of title track, takes a while to develop but is a methodical and awe-inspiring journey. And "Sixty Sixteen" and "Creme Egg" display Marks' love of complex and varied beats. Both tracks are excellent.
The rest of them just don't have the same intensity and drive and end up feeling almost irrelevant. This is the least essential album Banco de Gaia has made. It's a tribute to his talent and creativity that it was well worth my money anyway.

Inner-Gyptian Journey Tracks.......2002-02-10

1) Seti I: Slow, root chakra build into chants, birds, and distant children. Impending -- an air of expectation. Tar & dumbeks bring in rhythm tracks as ululating cries penetrate, a wild dance of the breaking dawn or maybe a Ghengis Khan and his musical hoards descending to liberate captive children from their schoolbooks. As with many tracks on this CD, distant voices, not quite understood, evoke and compel, suggest and draw out meanings hidden just below the surface.

2) Obsidian: Whispers of a pulsating white light with flowing & merging synth chords -- UFO entities descend in a maelstrom of 150+ bpm light & nimble dance. Soaring, airy vocals weave between flowing and staccato elements. The driving dance gives way, in the end, to layered vocals.

3) Creme Egg: Chanting & percussion, layering in synths, and finally adding vocal choruses reminiscent of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

4) Glove Puppet: Mournful strings and synth with plaintive female vocals "please remember what I look like ... tried to burn me, wouldn't listen, I died ..." The voice of every girlfriend I ever walked away from.

5) Gizeh: Begins with the moan of the dead and the command of their demon taskmasters. Slow synthesizers slide in with hints of percussion. Exotic reed sounds come to dominate. Pain. Frenetic percussion with a heavy rhythmic percussive synthesizer (sharp attack with moderate sustain) fades & builds to complement reeds. Crescendos with underlying undecipherable muttering voices before a denouement that ends with a short spoken Arabic (?) phrase.

6) How Much Reality Can You Take?: Ambient world dance track. Repeats the same loop for the first minute, gradually adding instruments, then lets synthesizers carry melody and move on.

7) B2: Flowing, lyrical slow dance. Opening, mind-opening, eye-opening, eyes closed. Whispering airy voices. Vox Dea. Flowing synthesizers, strings over rhythms.

8) Fake it Til you Make It: Starts with echoes of a fascist harangue and marching feet, moves into a flowing and Floydescent guitar. Psychedelically modulated, like some Dark Side of the Moon out take. Yet, this is not really derivative, it continues to maintain continuity with Igizeh. Gradually fades out at about five minutes ... "you don't have to be sad to cry" ... an upbeat synth drum pattern erupts, a trap set jams in, then keyboards, like the Deep Purple organist on a shamanic journey--an Egyptian shamanic journey. After about four minutes of that, the music shifts back to its original Floydescent mode, although with different instrumentation until it fades out. At 11 minutes plus, the longest piece on the disk.

9) Sixty Sixteen: Moody tone poem, open in stillness. Slow, drifting with exotic plucked melody over electronic chords. Evolves. Builds. Place of stillness. Slightly more insistent motif briefly prevails, then shrinks as all fades out to the winds.

(If you'd like to discuss this CD or review in more depths, click on the "about me" link above & drop me an email. Thanks!)

Average customer rating: a great live set Excellent introduction to the group. A Fantastic Re-Issue of a Classic Live Performance A Fantastic Re-Issue of a Clasic Live Performance Amazing. Period.

Live at Glastonbury Banco De Gaia Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Last Train to Lhasa You Are Here Big Men Cry Maya ASIN: B00007JGPH Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

1. Last Train to Lhasa
2. Mafich Arabi
3. Amber
4. White Paint
5. Kincajou
6. Kuos
7. 887
8. Heliopolis
9. Data Inadequate

Album Description

"Banco de Gaia has created a fantastic body of work, successfully blending world-beat sounds and styles with cutting edge technology"- LA Weekly

"Consistently releasing albums of wondrous beauty and almost mind boggling creativity"- Making Music Magazine

"...music that'll touch your mind, body and soul."- Mixmag

Customer Reviews:

a great live set.......2005-08-14

Everyone knew that Kincajou was a song for dancing, but who knew that the rest of the "Last Train to Lhasa" material would go down so hot at a live show?

This is a solid live release of Banco de Gaia, one of the UK's (and the world's) great electronic pioneers, performing live some time after the Lhasa record came out, so the bulk of the show is from that. Somehow, Toby Marks makes tracks I never would have thought danceable ("White Paint"?!) into driving club beats, although his earlier material goes down more sensationally ("Heliopolis," "Data Inadequate"). As Toby at this stage was performing alone, it is never clear exactly how much he is controlling the myriad and cascading layers of beats, synths and Eastern samples and how much he is relying on playback. "Heliopolis" and "Lhasa" sound almost unaltered from their original studio recordings, save for a few bits of timbral tweaking here and there. But other tracks are clearly more interactive experiences and are completely revamped for the live show. "887," which had to be shortened to avoid some "incriminating sampling," goes down particularly wickedly. Bottom line, it all sounds good live, and even if you have both this disc and "Last Train to Lhasa" you will find them sufficiently different that it will be worth the expense of owning both.

Excellent introduction to the group........2005-05-12

I had never heard of Banco de Gaia before listening to this album, but it provides a look at one of the better crop of world music mixed with electronic beats style artists.

You can really get a feel for a band on record albums, and this album is full of energy, but mellow enough for a sunny afteroon as well. Its foot-tapping, drum-beat led fun that would make a great addition to any music collection.

Posibly its only fault is that, as a live album, some tracks are a bit overlong and were extended for the crowd. However stick this on a CD player in a park and that detraction soon goes away.

Overall - an excellent album, which perfectly evokes an outdoor vibe. Recomended.

A Fantastic Re-Issue of a Classic Live Performance.......2003-02-26

Banco de Gaia were doing the world-beat/electronica thing well before it became hip, and they were doing it right. This is a re-issue of an album that was released some years back of their performance at Glastonbury, UK that has a lot of the energy and beat of their earlier work.

A Fantastic Re-Issue of a Clasic Live Performance.......2003-02-26

Banco de Gaia were doing the world-beat/electronica thing well before it became hip, and they were doing it right. This is a re-issue of an album that was released some years back of their performance at Glastonbury, UK that has a lot of the energy and beat of their earlier work.

Amazing. Period........2003-02-25

I saw that know one had reviewed this yet so I had to chime in. This album is second only to the Orb Live '93. Electronia and Ambient are very much studio forms of music, very tricky to get just the right vibe live. This one did it with flying colors! A must for any collection.

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6. Helicopter [CD-single] [Import]
7. Horror Hop
8. How It Goes [Explicit Lyrics]
9. Instant Live: Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek [Box set] [Live]
10. Invisible Invasion [Import]

Rap Music

rap music

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