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SOUL
Recommended smooth and mellow soul CDs |
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PHILLY SOUL
Recommended Gamble & Huff CDs |
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SALSOUL
Recommended Salsoul Records CDs |
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FUNK
Recommended funk and disco CDs |
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JAZZ/FUNK
Recommended jazz/funk fusion CDs |
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POP/SOUL
Recommended blue-eyed soul CDs |
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WEST COAST
Recommended west coast soft rock CDs |
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CD WANT LIST
Care to help me track down some much sought-after CDs?
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The Chill Out Electronica sound
...is a laid back mix of downbeat electronic
pop/jazz.
Pipe and slippers lounge music if you like... |
About Ambient...
The concept of ambient goes way back, but the term was first
used by Brian Eno to describe the music that he made on a series
of recordings that included "Music for Airports" and "Music for
Films". The notion was that ambient music was able to sustain
repeated and intensive listening, or could be completely
ignored, like some kind of cosmic muzak. In short, it was to be
an unobtrusive part of one's environment while at the same time
being interesting if one should choose to focus in on it.
He, along with various other musicians, experimented with this
concept for several years. By the early 80's, he brought the
sample to the fore with "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts", a
collaboration with Talking Heads' David Byrne. The sample is
really the purest type of ambient sound.
By the end of the decade, Alex Paterson was experimenting with
the mixing techniques utilized by house and dub, but applying it
to the music with which he was surrounded in his job at EG
records, which included Brian Eno and his brother Roger, Harold
Budd, Robert Fripp, and Jon Hassell. The Chill-Out sound was
born. According to Gerard Talbot in his liner notes to the
Virgin Records compilation "A Brief History of Ambient, Vol. 1",
the chill-out room was "a physical--and very possibly
eternal--Sunday morning for the E generation."
The 90's witnessed an explosion in electronic music, and
ambient has seen its share of adherents and innovators. The Orb
brought things to another level and openly acknowledged the
influence of long-forgotten "art rockers" and "avant-garde
experimentalists" such as Steve Hillage, Tangerine Dream, Gong,
and Can.
and Chill Out...
Chill Out actually started in England (London and Birmingham),
when the rave culture started in 1988-89. DJ’s started to play
"everything with a sea sound in it" in bars and techno-house
party back-lounges.
Ambient music is vacuumed for unnecessary sound, but DJ's
often used more as many as 5-6 sound sources, it became more a
collage of music that required a new name. It usually was played
in so called Chill Out lounges it made sense to borrow the name.
Chill-out quickly became a popular genre in the early 90's and
several good electronic albums was released, side by side with
more quickly and badly put together compilations titled "Chill
Out Or Die" and "Chill Out In Heaven".
The Chill Out genre quickly got stars like KLF and The Orb,
bands that used to do progressive rock, and therefore found it
naturally to make long and extensive concept albums. [KLF:
"Space" -a journey through outer space]. Several European labels
have since specialized in the genre. Check
Hed Kandi,
Mole Listening
Pearls,
G-Stoned and
Irma. |
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Correct Chill Out accessory:
The Le Corbusier LC4 lounge chair |
Influence...
The influence of records from the past on today's Lounge and Chill Out
sound is very much originated from Orchestral Jazz, Jazz Fusion,
Film Soundtracks, Soul, Disco, Bossa and even some classic Italian
songs. Many DJ's playing the Lounge style are used to mix "rare
groove/old school" tracks together with new ones in their sets or
compilations. |
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Afterlife: Simplicity
(Hed Kandi 1999)
Afterlife: Electrosensitive (Bargrooves 2009)
Produced by: Steve Miller
It's a good chance you'll find a track by Afterlife on any
given Chill Out compilation. Afterlife is Steve Miller who is one of the
world’s top Downtempo producers, Electrosensitive is the fourth
Afterlife album and features 15 brand new productions. Steve hits top
form yet again with an album that has summer written all over it without
any of the typical Ibiza clichés.
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Pit Baumgartner:
Fräuleinwunder (Universal Jazz Germany 2003)
Pit Baumgartner:
Tales of Trust (Universal Jazz Germany 2008)
Produced by: Pit Baumgartner
If you like De Phazz [see below], check out De Phazz founder
and producer Pit Baumgartner's
solo projects. Fräuleinwunder is bossa flavoured downbeat while Tales of
Truth has the well known De Phazz signature sound.
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Bent: The Everlasting Blink (Sport 2003)
Produced by:
A bit smoother than their 2001 debut album "Programmed To
Love", this is much better in my opinion. The Adrian Gurvitz sample on
"Magic Love" is just great! Zero 7 meets Lemon Jelly. Their 2004 effort
"Ariels" was a change in sound and not to my taste.
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De Phazz: Godsdog
(Mole
1999)
De Phazz: Death By Chocolate (Mole 2001)
De Phazz: Natural Fake (Phazz-a-delic 2005)
De Phazz: Days Of Twang (Phazz-a-delic 2007)
De Phazz: Big (Phazz-a-delic 2009)
De Phazz: LaLa 2.0 (Phazz-a-delic 2010)
Produced by: Pit Baumgartner
Three superb downbeat cool-jazz albums with a touch of Latin
from German group De Phazz. "Death.." is particularly good [the great
digi-pack cover is alone worth the album :-] Their first and fourth
effort - "Detunized Gravity" [1997] and "Daily Lama" [2002] - is in my
opinion not quiet up to the rest. Also check out De Phazz producer Pit
Baumgartner's "Fräuleinwunder" [2003] and Tales of Trust
[2008]. More on
www.de-phazz.com.
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DJ Cam:
Soulshine (Inflammable 2003)
DJ Cam:
Lost & Found (Inflammable 2008)
Produced by: DJ Cam
French DJ Laurent Daumail, aka DJ Cam, is one of the bedrock
artists of the electronic genre, known both for his remix work and his
eclectic productions of chill-out and nu-jazz. Lost & Found is full of
soulful jazzy rhythms. Laid-back electronica + jazz, and just smooth
downtempo quality
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dZihan
& Kamien: Freaks & Icons (Couch 2000)
dZihan
& Kamien: Gran Riserva (Couch 2002)
Produced by: dZihan & Kamien
Vlado Dzihan (Slovakia) and Mario Kamien (Switzerland) met
while studying in Vienna, Austria in the late 90s and released their
Freaks & Icons debut in 2000. Great downtempo lounge music with a bit of
jazz and ethnic flavour. Their third album, Music Matters from 2009, is
more straight pop and not to my taste.
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Gare Du Nord: Love For
Lunch (Blue Note 2009)
Produced by: Barend Fransen & Ferdi Lancée
The 5th album from the Dutch duo Barend Fransen and Ferdi
Lancée, Great downtempo tracks with a touch of a 1960's movie
soundtrack. The opening track Come To The Ball is a personal
favourite!
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Gerd:
High Wide and Wonderful (Life Enhancing
Audio 2002)
Gerd:
Gran Perspectives (Life Enhancing Audio 2006)
Produced by: Gerd
"High Wide & Wonderful" is Gerd's 2. album and a step away
from their tech-funk first effort. This is great downtempo with flares
of Brazilian and Latin. Another great release from Belgium label Life
Enhanching Audio.
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Sven van Hees: Gemini
(Life Enhancing Audio 1999)
Produced by: Ramon Serrano aka Sven Van Hees
Belgian producer & DJ Ramon Serrano has created the sound of
passion in the coolest way possible. Complete with seagulls and ocean
sounds in the background, Gemini is a classic in this genre! The 2002
"Calypso" and the 2005 "Synesthesia" are both slightly more uptempo and
funkier, but should nevertheless also be checked out.
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Monte La Rue: Interludia (Cinq Etoiles 2002)
Produced by: Monte LaRue
Pioneering the down-tempo genre, Belgian-born and
Amsterdam-based Monte LaRue has been a major force in establishing
lounge in The Netherlands. He is versed in a broad array of easy
listening styles, - from Vienna's lounge noir to jazz-type funk grooves;
from sun-dried Balearic beats to pastel-coloured Latin-tinged percussion
workouts. "Interludia" is LaRue's first full album. He had already
written various intro's and outro's for his own compilations [Lounge
Deluxe 1-3], but this album is a collection of full-blow interludes -
once again confirming his unique take on all things atmospheric and
downtempo.
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Lemongrass: Beach Affairs (Best of 03-07) (Mole 2007)
Lemongrass: Pour l'Amour (Lemongrass Music 2008)
Lemongrass: The 5th Dimension (Lemongrass Music 2010)
Produced by: Lemongrass
An great mix of house, jazz, and lounge music, Think long car drives at
night, a romantic dinner or maybe watching the city lights at night from
a penthouse apartment with a night cap in your hand, - any Lemongrass
album would be a very good soundtrack. The double disc set Beach Affairs from 2007 is a compilation covering their releases on the Mole
Listening Pearls label between 2003 and 2007.
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Mo' Horizons: Sunshine Today (Agogo 2007)
Mo' Horizons - Mo' Horizons
and the Banana Soundsystem (Agogo 2011)
Produced by: Mo' Horizons
If you miss summer, this is for you! Ralf Droesemeyer and Mark Wetzler
creates a groove cocktail full of clever used quotes from music history.
A bit of Soul, Latin, Jazz, and top it up with some Club beats. Sunshine
Today includes a
Latin cover version of Bill Withers' classic "Lovely Day" (Dia
Encantado).
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Jose Padilla: Souvenir (dro EastWest 1999
Jose Padilla: Navigator (dro EastWest 2001
Jose Padilla: Bella Musica 1 (dro EastWest 2004)
Jose Padilla: Bella Musica 2 (dro EastWest 2007)
Jose Padilla: Bella Musica 3 (dro EastWest 2008)
Jose Padilla: Bella Musica 4 (dro EastWest 2009)
Produced by: Jose Padilla
On "Souvenir" and "Navigator", Padilla - one of oldest
resident Ibiza DJ's and creator of the Cafe del Mar series - presents
his own stuff rather than presenting a compilation of others. On
Bella Musica Vol. 1-4 he is back to compiling favorite tracks. As with
the Cafe del Mar series, you can always rely on Mr. Padilla doing a
great job putting the tracks together and creating the perfect relaxing
Chill Out mood,
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Plastyc Buddha:
Throwing Stones in Placid Pools (LEA 2001)
Produced by: Stephan Parmentier & Pieter Verschueren
Like the Van Hees album, this is also from Belgium LEA
Records. Stephan & Pieter are both in-demand session musicians in
Antwerp, and their project Plastic Buddha is based around the gently
chords from the Fender Rhodes electric piano with some Latin beats
thrown in.
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Kruder & Dorfmeister:
The K&D Sessions (G-Stone 1998)
Produced by: Kruder & Dorfmeister
A double-CD of remixes and dub from the laid-back Viennese
duo. Although I find this release a bit overrated - with some of the
tracks a bit "dark" for my taste - this fusion of 70's vibrations and
90's cool is nevertheless probably essential in every ambient
collection. Check g-stoned.com
for more info.
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Röyksopp: Melody AM (Astralwerks
2001)
Produced by: Torbjørn Brundtland & Svein Berge
Norwegian duo Röyksopp [Torbjørn Brundtland & Svein Berge] has
made some excellent downbeat electronica of the new millennium,
exemplified by singles like "Eple" and "Poor Leno". The album is a bit
overrated though! |
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Nitin Sawhney: Beyond
Skin (Outcaste 1999)
Produced by: Nitin Sawhney
Great downtempo electronica with an Indian twist. A blend of
classical, drum'n'bass, jazz, hip-hop, and Indian elements. The
production is crystal-clear and the sound is quite lush, feat.
instruments like tabla, piano and cello to equally beautiful effect. The
album's political statements are quite clear in the intro/outro embedded
samples of most songs.
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Shazz: Shazz (Sony
France 1998)
Shazz: In The Light (Sony France 2001)
Produced by: Shazz
Two very good albums from one of France's most respected and
renowned house producers. A smooth fusion of soul, R&B, house and jazz,
with a perfect balance of vocals and instrumentals creating the perfect
home listening soundtrack. Maybe a little uptempo for your average Chill
Out session...more like pipe & slippers lounge jazz if you will. [Homepage]
|
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Thievery Corp.: The Richest Man In Babylon (8th Street Lounge 2002
Thievery Corp.: Versions (8th Street Lounge 2006)
Thievery Corp.: Culture Of Fear (8th Street Lounge 2011)
Produced by: Rob Garza & Eric Hilton
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton aka Thievery Corporation have come
out of the studio to bring you their masterpiece The Richest Man In
Babylon. Typical Thievery Corp. downbeat, trip hop, dub, some oriental
elements and guest vocals of Emiliana Torrini. Lounge music at its best.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Their 2006 offering Versions feat.
18 Thievery Corp. remixes with a diversity of artists like the Doors,
Sarah McLaughlan, Bebel and Astrud Gilberto, Norah Jones and Herb
Albert. Great lounge-jazz for a lazy summer day.
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Tosca: Suzuki (G-Stone
/ Studio !K7 2000)
Tosca: Dehli9 (G-Stone / Studio !K7 2003)
Tosca: JAC (G-Stone / Studio !K7 2005)
Tosca: No Hassle (G-Stone / Studio !K7 2009)
Produced by: Richard Dorfmeister & Rupert Huber
Richard Dorfmeister's side project Tosca is in my opinion way
better than Kruder & Dorfmeister [see above], which tends to be a little
on the "dark" side for my taste. Both Suzuki and Dehli9 oozes quality.
The latter is a double CD-set with a downbeat disc 1 featuring vocals on
almost every track. Disc 2 is ultra ambient and based on Rupert Huber's
"12 Easy to Play Piano Pieces", consisting of, yes, 12 piano pieces with
some background atmosphere added for good measure. Their 2005 effort "JAC"
also contains excellent downbeat electronica. Check
g-stoned.com
for more info.
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V/A: Buddha Bar vol. 1 & 2 + vol. 6 & 7
Compiled by: Claude Challe [vol.1&2] Ravin [vol.6] Ravin &
Visan [vol.7]
Label: Chall'O Music/George V Records/Wagram
All of these "Chill with a touch of India" compilations are
double CD sets containing "Buddha's Dinner" and "Buddha's Party". Claude
Challe gives you the perfect ambience from one of Paris' coolest
nightspots - the Buddha Bar. Volume 3, 4, 5 and 8 (Feb 06) are all a bit
too much India-influenced for my taste, but vol. 6 and 7 are both
excellent compiled by Ravin.
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V/A: Café del Mar vol. 1-16 (Cafe del Mar Music/Mercury)
Compiled by: Vol.1-6 by Jose Padilla. Vol.7, 9, 10 and 11 by
Bruno. Vol.8 by Neville & Cherrill
The mother of all Chill Out compilations, and a sure sign of
summer in Europe when yet another volume in this excellent series is
available. Volumen Doce [12], Trece [13] Catorce [14] and Diesiseis [16]
are double CD sets and the 2008 Volumen Quince [15] are triple.
Check
cafedelmarmusic.com
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V/A: Comfort Zone vol. 1-5 (Comfort Zone/Repertoire)
Compiled by: ?
A very good alternative to Cafe Cafe del Mar series. Always
seems to compile the right tracks to create a perfect downbeat ambience.
The German sung "Kisses" by Bent on volume 3 is a killer!
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V/A: DJ Pippi Presents
Undiscovered Ibiza vol. 1-5 (Undiscovered Recordings)
Compiled by: DJ Pippi
Five really
excellent compilations of relaxing Chill Out music compiled by Italian
born DJ Pippi, - top Ibiza DJ since the late 70's. Volume 3 contains a
superb version of the Floaters classic soul ballad "Float On" done by
Mystic Diversions. Both volume 4 and 5 are double-CD sets and equally
excellent!
www.undiscovered.co.uk
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V/A: DJ Pippi Presents
Ibiza - A Touch Of Class vol. 1-4 (Aluminum)
Compiled by: DJ Pippi
Four excellent compilations of relaxing Chill Out music
compiled by Italian born DJ Pippi, - top Ibiza DJ since the late 70's.
Vol. 4 was released in 2010.
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V/A: Hotel Costes vol.
1-12 (Wagram)
Compiled by: Stephane Pompougnac/Various
A series of 12 compilations with some of the best mid-tempo
grooves that can be heard anywhere, and evokes the atmosphere of the
Hotel Costes, - which is just a minute away from the ultra chic
Place Vendome in the heart of Paris. The 7. offering "Sept" is
especially good.
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V/A: Fruit 1-7 (Lemon,
Melon, Lychee, Rambutan, Orange, Coconut, Kiwano) (Music Park Records)
Compiled by: M.
Whoever M is, he's done a great job with the Fruit series. "Vol.
1 - Lemon" is probably the best but they are all very good compilations of laid back, mostly instrumental grooves.
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V/A: Lounge Deluxe
vol. 1-4 (Cinq Etoiles)
Compiled by: Monte LaRue
All mixed by Belgian-born/Amsterdam-based lounge guru Monte
LaRue and containing tracks by Nightmares on Wax, Sven Van Hees,
Afterlife, Thievery Corp, and Monte LaRue himself. Volume 3 is
especially good. The track "Sometime last night" by Hot Toooy,
containing a sample from "Such a Lady" by the Commodores is a killer! La
Rue's Thursday nights as a DJ at NL - Nieuwezijds Lounge - in Amsterdam
is the in-spot for the young scenesters of style-conscious
Amsterdam. LaRue is also responsible for the artistic direction of the
Cinq
Etoiles-label.
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V/A: Morning Side Of
Love vol. 2 (Irma 2002)
Compiled by: Umbi Damiani
With the second volume Irma have been digging deeper towards
the acoustic sound and a variety of genres. Orchestral sounds, jazz/funk
and progressive rock ballads may at first look like an odd mix, but it
turns out that they actually blend together perfectly! An excellent
double CD containing gems by Eddie Harris, Mark & Almond, Roy Ayers,
Rufus & Chaka, Loose Ends, Bobby Lyle, El Chicano, Bill Withers,
Mandrill, Bill Conti, Alphonse Mouzon, Gordon Lightfoot, Traffic,
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Colosseum, Ramsey Lewis and Engelbert
Humperdinck. Well done! Also check out volume 1.
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V/A: Serve Chilled
vol. 1-3 (Hed Kandi 1999-2001)
Compiled by: Mark Doyle
V/A: Serve Chilled 2006 (Hed Kandi 2006)
V/A: Serve Chilled 2007 (Hed Kandi 2007)
V/A: Serve Chilled 2008 (Hed Kandi 2008)
The famous UK label
Hed Kandi
are probably best know for it's many dance compilations, but the "Serve
Chilled" and "Winter Chill" [below] series are both excellent double CD
sets of Chill Out/Downtempo. After 5 years in silence, (vol. 3 was
released in 2001) the series reappeared in 2006!
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V/A: Science Fiction
Jazz vol. 1-8 (Mole)
Compiled by: DJ Minus 8
Volume 5 in the Science Fiction Jazz series is very good
Ambient/Chill compilation with a touch of jazz. Lounge-jazz if you
will... Check mole.de
for more info.
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V/A: Winter Chill vol.
1-5 (Hed Kandi)
Compiled by: Mark Doyle
The Hed
Kandi Label has several Chill Out compilations and the "Serve
Chilled" and "Winter Chill" series are all excellent double CD sets. The
Winter Chill series is a bit on the "dark" side, but nevertheless very
good. Volume 5 was released December 2004.
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Vangelis: Oceanic (WEA
1996)
Produced by: Vangelis
One of many albums from this very talented Greek. Maybe not
real "Chill Out", but it has the relaxing beach & ocean feeling and
sound, and it works for me.
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Zero 7: Simple Things
(Ultimate Dilemma 2001)
Produced by: Zero 7
An excellent Chill album from UK remixing duo Zero 7. 70's
orchestral soul meets French critically acclaimed Chill/Ambient duo
Air. For more of the same, check out their 2004 album "When It Falls".
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