Banco [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Product Description
Japanese reissue of the veteran Italian prog rock act's 19 75 debut album. Digitally remastered using 20 bit K2 Super Coding technology. 2000 release. Standard jewel case.

Banco,Banco,Umvd Import,Pop,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

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: Traveler 06: A Six Degrees Collection Ethnomixicology 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: 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 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: Maya Farewell Ferengistan 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: 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: Galactic Distances. Greatest gaian album

Big Men Cry Banco De Gaia Manufacturer: Six Degrees ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD 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: Last Train to Lhasa Maya You Are Here The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Igizeh ASIN: B00007JGPI Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

1. Drippy
2. Celestine
3. Drunk As A Monk
4. Big Men Cry
5. Gates Does Windows
6. One Billion Miles Out
7. Starstation Earth

Album Description

"Impossible to classify, but think Royksopp, Zero 7... The Orb, Pink Floyd and 'Papua New Guinea' -era Future Sound Of London as markers. Even then you're only scratching the surface."- Muzik (UK)

"Banco de Gaia will give those duking it out for a piece of the electronica sales pie a reason to sweat with Big Men Cry. "Celestine" features the sax work of Dick Parry, whose solos can be heard on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon"- Billboard

Customer Reviews:

Galactic Distances........2007-01-27

Toby Marks writes ecclectic electronic dance music; great. But what I came across on this CD were tracks 6 & 7. Polished well produced electronica space ambience. Not mysterious. Yet not new age....#6 "One billion miles out" tracks an elliptical heliopausal journey to the edge of our solar system. Kuiperian chants mix with intangable inner space communications to fill the dark void....#7 "Starship earth" is an intense (20 min) evolving oversized production. Somewhere out there filamentous infrared cirrus sounds support a base for various eclipsing binaries. Ghostly protogalactic hollow voices hold your attention while wonderfully balanced sound waves support the fabric of this space project.

Greatest gaian album.......2003-04-25

This is trainmusic. It is also music hard to review since it hits the gaian, spiritual part of your mind more than your simple human intellect:-)...but I'll give it a try.
Banco De Gaia has always been onto something big, but somehow the music has been to mature to really excite. This is not the case with Big Men Cry. Still mature it also has the feeling of a sane child free to play. Hence this is the best album by the man. With tribal drums, exotic voices and live recordings of engines, mixed with alien electronic tweeked tones, fat base and also "silence", it has the capability to give you an out of the body experience towards the end of the album.

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.

Average customer rating: The only bad Banco de Gaia album... so far Banco continues to be invigorating A mixed bag Excellent CD Different, and not quite as good.

You Are Here 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 Trance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Six Degrees Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Igizeh Farewell Ferengistan Big Men Cry The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia Last Train to Lhasa ASIN: B0001WENFU Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

1. Down From The Mountain
2. Zeus No Like Techno
3. Waking Up In Waco
4. Gray Over Gray
5. Tongue In Chic
6. Not My Name
7. We Are Here
8. Still Life

Amazon.com

No mere neophyte, Banco de Gaia's Toby Marks has been doing electronic music since rave culture's earliest clicks and blips. His music has changed, and You Are Here, the first Banco effort in four years, doesn't have the wealth of dub rhythms or the Arabic and Eastern melodies that marked the past five studio albums; instead, Marks embellishes his aerodynamic electronic grooves with abundant pop vocals - live singers (including fan favorite Jennifer Folkner on the soulful "Gray Over Gray") appear on four of the eight songs, and Marks uses sample software vocals for altogether stranger results on several tracks as well. The world has changed a lot in four years, and Toby Marks looked at this album's singers as a chance to get some things off his chest. He does a good job of making his points without being overtly didactic, proving that he's as tasteful with his use of the word as he is with a sampler. --Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

You Are Here is the first studio album by Banco De Gaia since Igizeh in 2000. The album is a series of musical snap shots of the world we live in as of 2003. From the classic Banco De Gaia floor filling booty-stomper "Zeus No Like Techno" to the introspective and haunting heart-felt tracks "Gray over Gray" and "Still Life," this new release sees Banco De Gaia back on world beating form and as difficult to classify as ever. You Are Here once again features the vocal talents of Jennifer Folker best known for her incredible performance on "Obsidian" from Banco's last studio album Igizeh

Customer Reviews:

The only bad Banco de Gaia album... so far.......2006-02-20

DJ ProFusion is right. I own every Banco de Gaia CD, except for the live album. All are basically excellent, with a few oddly clanging misfires; perhaps that's the price of experimentation.

Toby Marks slipped a little bit on the still-excellent previous album, Igizeh. On that one, the misfire was a painfully saccharine experiment in sentimentalized conventional songcraft, with a veeeeery earnest delivery by Jennifer Folker of lyrics that would hopefully be banned as too trite for a Hallmark card.

Disastrously, Marks has seen fit this time to fill an entire disc with same (the lone exception being track 2, Zeus No Like Techno, a kick-a** dance track squarely in the most commercial groove of the Banco tradition). I can only liken this album to having your mouth pried open and having an entire box of SugarTwin poured directly onto your tongue. Whether I buy another Banco de Gaia disc in my lifetime will depend 100% on whether this is a one-shot aberration, or the future of the act.

Recommendation if you're new to Banco: The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia. Despite the flat-footed title, it's a brilliant disc from start to finish.

Banco continues to be invigorating.......2005-08-14

As previous reviewers have said, this is not Banco de Gaia's best. However, Toby Marks is one of the greats of electronica, so it doesn't have to be his best to be good. This album is decidedly mellower than some of his earlier works, more reminiscent of "Big Men Cry" than "Maya." There's nothing as memorable as the amazing songs on "Last Train to Lhasa," but some of the songs are almost as good. Contrary to the opinion of some, I believe "Gray over Gray" is a superbly flowing track, as is "Not in My Name," as Toby once again demonstrates how he can make a song remain interesting for 10 minutes or more as few in the electronica world can (far fewer, anyway, than think they can). "Zeus No Like Techno" is a poor man's "Kincajou" and "Down From the Mountain" is rather reminiscent of the opening number in "Igizeh." Probably the low point for me is the synth-happy "Tongue in Chic," in which a solid beat is rather ruined by some vocals with all the sublety of Donald Trump. (Yes, this is the point of the song, but it is possible to oversatirize.) My other gripe is that a handful of the samples (the "freedom" chant between tracks 7 and 8 and a couple of the more paranoid rants in the first half of Waco), while politically provoking, are musically grating and annoying. But most of them fit. The rest of the album, particularly the thumping second half of "Waco" is another superb and inventive electronic outing. More synths and less Asian instruments, more ambient washes and less techno beats, more vocals and less instrumental numbers, but hey, let the master experiment. I only wonder what he's going to do next.

A mixed bag.......2005-04-23

Back in the studio for the first time in three years, Toby Marks seems to have a little difficulty finding his groove. It will disappoint those fans who yearn he return to his earlier style that culminated in Last Train to Lhasa. While The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia and Igizeh had a definitive theme and sound, such coherence is lacking in You Are Here.

"Zeus No Like Techno" is stunningly good. Marks brilliantly takes a Greek melody, twists it, turns it, plays with it and molds it with a driving techno beat. The opening track "Down From the Mountain" is also good. It begins with the Marks' signature extended crescendo (almost too long at over four minutes), building into a trippy beat and vibe that wonderfully sets up "Zeus No Like Techno."

But things then fall apart, as the CD descends into "Waking Up in Waco" a political track irreparably damaged by a tinny hip-hop beat. Even Jennifer Folkner can't save the ponderous "Gray Over Gray." Darkly moody, it attempts to be an introspective torch song, but before the end of its 12 minutes you want to open a vein to escape it. Things briefly pick up with "Tongue in Chic" and its silly trip hop dance fun, but then collapse again with the discordant and dull "Not in My Name" and "We Are Here." Finally, "Still Life" is so childishly horrible, with its samples and simplistic keyboards, it is hard to believe it is a Banco de Gaia track.

So, there are three good tracks, and five really bad ones. Let's hope Marks follows the trajectory of songs like "Zeus No Like Techno" and returns to form in the future.

Excellent CD.......2004-10-01

The other two reviews made me react strongly. Gray Over Gray is one of the most heart-warming and touching songs ever recorded. Sure it gives you shivers, but they are shivers of pleasure as you understand the depth of these lyrics and the power they carry. Amazing track that you should listen again after ten years if you're not mature enough to appreciate it now. Here's my complete review:


Excellent new album from the well-known Toby Marks. Exceeded all my expectations big time. Very varied and musical album, the delivers wide range of beats, sounds, moods and emotions, something for everybody here I guess. All the songs differ from each other very much, but still there's a nice flow though the album, even though individual tracks suit best for different situations. A really handy tool for all kinds of djs, dance or chillout. All tracks are just wonderful, so I just give a short description.

1. Down From The Mountain opens smooth and gently with ambient feeling and gently evolves adding some nice singing and percussions and finally reaching to groovy house mode. The longest intro I've ever heard for a dance song.

2. Zeus No Like Techno is a strong dance tune mixed to the previous song and the pace is increased gradually as we reach to the peak of the song with killer melodies and lots of fx and noises in the background. This is massive and would make any conscious dancefloor explode.

3. The beat is slowed down is Waking Up In Waco, which is roaming heavy breakbeat monster with lots of voice samples critizising all-american lifestyle that really draw your attention. A lighthearted hippie-style song kicks in in the breakdown and the beats go on.

4. Gray Over Gray is purely improvised song with Toby and the singer Jennifer Folker. She has the most beautiful and strong voice and this song is pure pleasure for those who appreciate. And it last 12 minutes. Quite sad at start but starts growing and the finale fills you with beauty and happiness and trust for better tomorrow. Maybe the most emotive/moody song I've ever heard.

5. Tongue In Chic. Jennifer Folker continues singing in this funny, uplifting tune, that sounds at first like a dance pop song for teenagers. But then the strong bassline blows your fears away and you can start digging this very special tune with witty vocals and you find yourself singing along the chorus. Very much fun indeed, I would play this in every teenage night club in the world.

6. Not In My Name starts with very annoying noise, and the song is wrapping around this noise. Soon it prooves to be a nice uptempo chillout song, something that reminds me Tosca or Rodney Hunter, but Banco style you know.

7. We Are Here is the most recognizable of Banco's previous work. All the elements we love are here, just lifted to a new level.

8. Still Life ends the album with strong demands for freedom which blend into the most evoking power-ballad you could imagine. This will blow your mind if you're lucky to be in love and even if you're not. This was the last song I played in the Space of Joy - gathering in Russia (13.- 15.8.2004) and it was also the last song of the party. What a wonderful way to end a beautiful experience anywhere.

Highly recommend for anybody who likes anything nice :)

Different, and not quite as good........2004-07-21

Banco de Gaia's sixth studio is different than any of his previous releases. The difference is a focus on more upfront melody, and structured pop songs vice the ethnic ambience featured on previous efforts. The results are mixed. The outstanding opener, "Down From The Mountain", is a haunting epic more in what we're used to from previous BDG releases. A slow droning synth (almost cathedral in the mood it creates) is overlaid by a soothing, ethnic, almost child like vocal. Absolutely superb. The song eventually builds to an explosive conclusion that leads perfectly to the albums first single, "Zeus No Like Techno". A floor filling beat and grinding bass are overlaid with slashes of latin guitar strings. Very catchy indeed.

But here, things go a little south. "Waking Up In Waco" is just grating with it's hodge-podge samples, and "Gray Over Gray" is just irritating and boring. Very dissapointing after Jennifer Folker's gorgeous "Obsidian" performance. What happened?

Jennifer Folker contributes her voice again on "Tounge In Chic", which might be the closest thing Toby Marks' has ever written to a pop song. The bubbling synth, and verse/chorus (gasp!) song structure make for a very good, and very catchy tune. Here Jennifer Folkner shines. The rest of the album is less descript, sounding more like filler from previous Banco albums. "Not In My Name" is good, but "We Are Here" and "Still Life" just don't really stand out as anything better than average. So, aside from the first two tracks, "Tounge In Chic", and "Not In My Name", nothing really caught my ear. Kind of dissapointing considering the scope of his previous work. For those unfamilier with Banco's previous work, try his Last Train to Lhasa or Big Men Cry albums instead.

Average customer rating: best album from Italy's best band! simply overwhelming! Sheer excellence. dual keys! If one would want

Io Sono Nato Libero Banco Manufacturer: Orizzonte ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Italy | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Felona E Sorona Forse le Lucciole Non Si Amano Più Per un Amico Ys Zarathustra ASIN: B000007W8K Release Date: 1998-07-17

Tracks:

1. Canto Nomade Per un Prigioniero Politico
2. Non Mi Rompete
3. Citta' Sottile
4. Dopo... Niente E' Piu' lo Stesso
5. Traccia II

Album Details

Reissue of the Original Album Recorded by Banco in 1973.

Customer Reviews:

best album from Italy's best band!.......2006-07-31

prog rock, in general, is quite a dramatic form of music. the genre tends to embrace a theaterical approach to the ragged canvas of rock music and requires a virtuosic level of playing ability from it's band members. throught it's conception, there have been some heralded names in the prog rock circuit whose greatness cannot be denied....some obvious examples are King Crimson, Yes, ELP. but my favorite prog bands are those from Italy. there'sd just something about the Italian's brand of prog rock that appeals to me in a great way. i think it has something to do with the language. the Italiano accent just sounds like a perfect match with the melodramatic feeling of the songs and the twisted , complex melodies that stream forth. the Italians also seem to have a special place for discordanance within their songs; and (when done right) it's impact can be overwhelming.

Banco's 2nd album begins with a beautiful melody that instantly captures one's listening attention with it's glorious tone and mysterious depth. as the album progresses, it becomes clear that this band is at the peak of it's powers. the songs shift through various cycles and stages; incorporating delicate acoustic passages, spacey keyboard parts, and full-throttle rock and roll guitar. but as untamed and wild as it gets, it's all held together by a gripping sense of melancholy and drama that never fails to excite.

simply overwhelming!.......2005-09-25

this is my first exposure to italian symphonic prog and i am staggered! this is simply one of the finest pieces of music of any genre that i have ever heard! every musician seems a virtuoso, francesco di giacomo voice is one of the most beautiful instruments of any piece of music i have in my collection. to call this a great rock and roll record is far too restrictive, gathering together elements of traditional and folk, european classical, fusion jazz, straight progressive, and a taste of avant garde and blending them into a rich tapestry that is very emotionally dynamic (these are italians, after all) and is melancholic and sentimental to breathtakingly redemptive. gorgeous harmonies and melodies abound; the instrumental seperation and combination runs the full spectrum of possibilties with several types of keys and synths (two keyboard players), acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drum with each musician enhancing and hilighting not only the range and dynamic of the music, but integrating the highly individual performances to such a degree that the sum is much greater than the parts. the compositions are perfectly balanced and the changes seem perfectly natural but are highly complex; building to great crescendos that are soaringly beautiful. least my description succumb to blithering fandom at this point, let me just add that this is one of the most perfect example of modern popular music that I have ever heard! the rating is off the scale!

Sheer excellence........2004-02-10

This superb, high quality recording (remastered in 2002) opens with the 15'43 Canto nomade per un Prigioniero Politico which is ushered in by soft synthesizer lines and Francesco di Giacomos remarkable vocals (in Italian). The piece swiftly kicks into gear however and the quiet introduction gives way to breathtakingly intricate ensemble work, metric complexity, and soaring synthesizer leads (there are two keyboard players). Banco has an experimental/avante-garde side, which becomes apparent about halfway through Canto nomade per un Prigioniero Politico. Before panic sets in, I would like to point out that the Banco take on the avante garde never strays outside the boundaries of rock and is actually quite pleasant. Finally, there are some very nice classical guitar parts (played by Rodolfo Maltese I think), which are alternated with a more experimental percussion based section. All in all, it is a very busy 15'43. The second track on the CD, Non mi Rompete, is a pastoral, acoustic piece that features a tasteful moog solo. This quieter song provides a stunning contrast with the opening extravaganza. La Citta Sottile is ushered in with some excellent acoustic piano playing and then launches into a characteristically proggish romp with great string synthesizer parts. The 9'54 Dopo...Niente e piu lo Stresso is somewhat similar to the first track, while the closing piece Traccia II is a really neat, albeit short showcase for the Nocenzi's and their arsenal of synthesizers. This recording is quite possibly one of the finest to come out of the Italian scene and should be considered a must have for fans of progressive rock. Highly recommended in addition to their excellent, eponymous debut (1972), Darwin! (1972), and Banco (1975).

dual keys!.......2003-02-14

If you only get one Banco album get this one. It's not as silly as Darwin and it's a little harder and has a great sci-fi feel to it due to the more liberal use of 70's synths. The singer's voice is a bit theatrical for me, but hey it's Italian. I was disappointed when I saw them live a couple of years ago...they did not play much material from this album because they only had one of the keyboard brothers. This is also one of their more technically advanced efforts.

If one would want.......2003-02-02

to compare Banco to Gentle Giant, this album could be as close a comparison as possible. Not that they imitate Gentle Giant in any way, not at all. First, GG is unsurpassed in their musical intellect (only Yezda Urfa could imitate GG so well that it sounds like "previously unreleased" tracks of GG, but after a few listens you could see the fake). Secondly, Banco is quite unique and their music almost always is very melodic, while GG quite often use the most dissonant tunes (and they do that so unbelievably great). So it can hardly be called influence, rather Gentle Giant daring ways inspired BMS to be as daring.

Canto Nomade is the most outstanding piece, its multiple parts flow brilliantly into one another, the drums solo seems out of place at first, but it's not, it's more like a bridge to the final (and excellent) part, just try to get used to it. Non Mi Rompete is beautiful and well played but quite trivial compositionally. La Citta'sottile, is very good, a very rhythmical beginning with great instrumentals followed by a rhythmical 'breakdown' (very Gentle-Giantesque) and a psychedelic intermission with a recitative and then comes back to the initial tune again, excellent. The next track, Dopo Niente E'piu'lo S, is excellent too, more complex compositionally than the previous one, the beginning reminds of GG but very briefly so. It turns into Traccia II, its orchestra-like sound appears a bit grandiloquent but they played it very well.

This album is in very close competition with their previous one, Darwin, a masterpiece beyond any praise.

Average customer rating: Toby Marks rules Magnificent work outstanding!!!

Maya 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: Last Train to Lhasa Big Men Cry Igizeh The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia 10 Years ASIN: B000065T1Z Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

1. Heliopolis
2. Mafich Arabi
3. Sunspot
4. Gamelah (Dub 3)
5. Qurna (Mister Christian On The Decks)
6. Sheesha
7. Lai Lah (V1.8)
8. Shanti (Red With White Spots Edit)
9. Maya

Customer Reviews:

Toby Marks rules.......2003-06-29

While "Last Train to Lhasa" remains my all time favorite Banco de Gaia disk, "Maya" is the first public CD by BdG, and a superb introduction to the music. While Banco de Gaia, like many other ambient/techno entities, offers great dance beats, it soars above this basic form, creating something richer than most dance/dub/club sample music--something enticing and addictive that stands up to many repeated listenings...which is not something you can say about the majority of the music in the genre. Transcendent.

Magnificent work.......2002-10-15

This is actually the first Banco de Gaia record I have listened to, but it is still my favourite. OK maybe it is a bit more simple than some of his others, but that is not a bad thing, I don't think. This is the kind of record that starts you on a different kind of music than you were used to. Especially in today's landscape of mind numbing, repetitive and everybody-sings-the-same-thing pop music, it makes an especially refreshing listen. As with all good music, it might not appeal to you straight away, but if you give it a chance and you listen to it a couple of times, it is impossible not to get caught in the depth of the music. Beautiful staging, with layers of sounds interlacing perfectly, it just takes you away on a ride that you don't want to stop. Somewhere it kind of reminded me of Tangerine Dream, but not really as style, more in what concerns the beauty of the music, the way everything fits perfectly. All right, I went on long enough. Bottom line is, I am glad I had the chance of getting to listen to it, my music experience would have been so much poorer without it.

outstanding!!!.......2002-07-23

In hindsight, this album is definitely a platform of sorts for Toby Marks from which he plunged into ambient mastery. This album was released while still on the Planet dog label which I think definitely had an influence on the style. Huge deep soundscapes and melodical texture combine to transport the listener to other worlds. Awesome album. Well worth the bucks.

Average customer rating:

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso Banco del Mutuo Soccorso Manufacturer: Orizzonte ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Italy | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Forse le Lucciole Non Si Amano Più Io Sono Nato Libero Felona E Sorona Darwin! Ys ASIN: B00006I8F1 Release Date: 2002-08-08

Tracks:

1. In Volo
2. R.I.P. (Requiescant in Pace)
3. Passaggio
4. Metamorfosi
5. Il giardino del Mago
6. Traccia

Album Description

Limited edition 24 karat gold reissue of the 1972 release. 24-bit remastered Italian prog rock packaged in a digipak. 2002.

Rock Music:

1. Battleship Potemkin [Import]
2. Believe
3. Best of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy/Live in Aarhus 96 [Import]
4. Best of-Gold Disc [Import]
5. Birth School Work Death [Original recording remastered] [Import]
6. Black Pearls [Import]
7. Bloom
8. Bringin the Message [Import]
9. Chimera [Original recording remastered] [Import]
10. Chronicles of Man

Rock Music