— SpacePack

CULTURAL AMBIENCE – Thievery Corporation

As I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop in downtown Guelph and feel highly culturalized. I would like to share some of this ambient culture with the rest blogging world.

The group that has my ears burning on this particular day is Thievery Corporation, a Washington D.C. based DJ duo consisting of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, as well as supporting artists featured on their tracks. The Corporation takes on a wide range of musical styles from Brazilian bossa nova, reggae, jazz, Indian classical, dub and African to name but a few. The duo maintain a lounge aesthetic to most of the songs they produce and it is the perfect background music for studying or holding your next a super-suave dinner party.

My personal favorite from Thievery Corporation. American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz floats with a wispy, mellow timbre similar to the style of the late great idol, Lester Young. Luiz Bonfa (Brazil) provides sultry guitar rhythms to the song, but its Getz that gives this song its smooth and mellow character with his saxophone explosions at (0:22) and (2:52). For jazz aficionados, Getz’s break at 2:52 is better than sex

Thievery Corporation – Menina Flor f/ Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfa

Mellow tune here that has a reggae/lounge feel to it. Very chill and the horns at (1:39) are super effective as well as super cool.

Thievery Corporation – Amerimacka f/ Notch

And because arrangements of three’s seem to work better than two’s, here’s another track that covers The Doors Light My Fire. Brazilian vocalist Astrud Gilberto sets a different tone than the late Jim Morrison, but is equally effective as the Lizard King for  lighting that proverbial fire

Thievery Corporation – Light My Fire f/ Astrud Gilberto (The Doors Cover)

Impress your friends with your developed appreciation of worldly music styles and give into the Thievery Corporation. New album slated to be released sometime this year named Culture of Fear. This group is way too talented to do only one post on, so keep checking back for updates!