Ben Turner
Thailand Sunsets: The Sunset Series Vol. 3
Pagan
Evocative of a late-night/early-morning beach scene in southern Asia? How the hell should I know? A smooth, relaxing time with few lame tracks limping in your ear. That pretty much sums up Thailand Sunsets. While this compilation at times falls into that hypnosis-inducing trap, it does provide enough good music to keep one’s good vibe going.
The disc starts off with Alex Kid’s “U’s Song,” with its Laswellian contemplative, syrupy groove. English Electric’s “If You Want it Bad Enough” is irritatingly catchy – like a dance tune for Teletubbies. Two wallpaper songs from John Beltran are included. Gerd’s “Clarao De Lua” is pure honey, Brazilian-style. “Nikita,” by Ralph Myers & the Jack Herren Band, is a pleasantly dark percussive piece with a ’60s Brit spy flick vocal loop. And Brenda Fassie’s “Msindo,” the eighth song, is a brilliantly mournful piece that sounds like a funeral procession. After that (with the exception of Lighthouse Family’s UB40ish “Free”), the disc sort of falls into an ambient drone that can cure anyone’s insomnia. (I know this first-hand.)
The beauty and/or power of this disc depends on how you like your chill. It does have a bit of international flavor, which can be appreciated, but its punch is still a little weak.
Pagan Records: http://www.paganrecords.com
