[Hatter313]

@Hatter - Tamboo! Is definitely in the top three along with Ritual and Moonlight, though Moonlight is the lesser coveted of the group. My personal top tier includes five records; the aforementioned three, Jungle Jazz, and my personal favorite, The Sacred Idol. There is a further handful which I consider essential, but these five are God-tier Exotica from Les Bax.

*rubs temples*

Mateo, tell me about these other “essentials” from Baxter.

also, what’s better - mono or stereo?

(dear god, I did not need another rabbit hole to go down.)

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[Mateo Sanboval]

@Hatter - Tamboo! Is definitely in the top three along with Ritual and Moonlight, though Moonlight is the lesser coveted of the group. My personal top tier includes five records; the aforementioned three, Jungle Jazz, and my personal favorite, The Sacred Idol. There is a further handful which I consider essential, but these five are God-tier Exotica from Les Bax.

*rubs temples*

Mateo, tell me about these other “essentials” from Baxter.

also, what’s better - mono or stereo?

(dear god, I did not need another rabbit hole to go down.)

Man, the mono v stereo debate. It's kind of down to your ear. Some of the albums that are available in both mono and stereo are recorded in each simulateously and resulted in different mic placements and occasionally even different overdubs. At least a couple of them were actually separate recordings entirely. Oftentimes, the earlier stereo LPs are actually missing a track or two because time was a more limiting factor on early stereo pressings than on mono LPs so that can be something to look out for. It's a wild world out there; come join me in the thicket!

[havershaw]

Plus there’s the “duophonic” versions, which I’m going to assume means they just somehow split the mono to make fake stereo.

Outside of the ones you already mentioned, Mateo, which others do you suggest?
I looooove 50s and 60s stereo recordings but it seems like these stereo versions are harder to come by (if not non-existent).
I managed to grab stereo originals of Jungle Jazz and Sacred Idol, but Moonlight, Ritual, and Tamboo seem to only be released in “duophonic”.

[Mateo Sanboval]

So you're one up on me then, Havershaw. I have Jungle Jazz in mono only, but I believe that is one of the distinctly different mic/overdub titles. Although I could be getting that confused with African Jazz. I'll have to double check after work and get back to you.

And you're absolutely correct about the Duophinic just being a mono split into two channels. Pretty common for reissues of that time period. Sort of the opposite of a true mono record vs a mono fold-down.

[Hatter313]

Plus there’s the “duophonic” versions, which I’m going to assume means they just somehow split the mono to make fake stereo.

Outside of the ones you already mentioned, Mateo, which others do you suggest?
I looooove 50s and 60s stereo recordings but it seems like these stereo versions are harder to come by (if not non-existent).
I managed to grab stereo originals of Jungle Jazz and Sacred Idol, but Moonlight, Ritual, and Tamboo seem to only be released in “duophonic”.

I personally like the mono releases of these older records, my mono of ritual is damn delightful (and i like the expanded listing from '55)

[havershaw]

I figure if the original choices are mono or stereo, I’ll like the stereo, but if it’s mono or duophonic, I’ll likely prefer the mono.

Seems like most of the earlier records, it’s mono or duophonic. So I mostly got mono ones. (I’m thankful these are so much cheaper than the library stuff, so grabbing a whole bunch of these at once isn’t killing me too much, yet.)

I did grab a mono Ritual (probably the same reissue you got, @hatter), which, as luck would have it, is in my town so I’ll be meeting up with him later tonight to pick it up.

[Hatter313]

I figure if the original choices are mono or stereo, I’ll like the stereo, but if it’s mono or duophonic, I’ll likely prefer the mono.

Seems like most of the earlier records, it’s mono or duophonic. So I mostly got mono ones. (I’m thankful these are so much cheaper than the library stuff, so grabbing a whole bunch of these at once isn’t killing me too much, yet.)

I did grab a mono Ritual (probably the same reissue you got, @hatter), which, as luck would have it, is in my town so I’ll be meeting up with him later tonight to pick it up.

Yeah i like that 1955 release a lot, spun it a few times here now. if i hadn't just gone nuts with VS and some other stuff i'd probably grab some others now, nicely affordable rabbit hole, this.

[Mateo Sanboval]

I think my Mono Ritual is from 1959.

[havershaw]

I think the one I’m picking up today is from 1957. It’s supposed to be that one, anyway.

[Hatter313]

Thats what i like about releases like this is that they just kept them in circulation. nice to collect something thats not crazy expensive for once haha

[Mateo Sanboval]

Indeed. My guess is that my 59 mono will sound very much the same as the 57 and 55 you gents have.

[Hatter313]

Indeed. My guess is that my 59 mono will sound very much the same as the 57 and 55 you gents have.

Yeah i imagine they are pretty much the same record

This is bleeding into a Yma Sumac kick. time for another watch of Secret of the Incas

[ScoJo]

Pop quiz, hotshots:

TOP FIVE EXOTICA LPs.

Baxter, Denny, Sumac, Lyman, Esquivel...? Which albums are your Desert Island Five?

[havershaw]

Pop quiz, hotshots:

TOP FIVE EXOTICA LPs.

Baxter, Denny, Sumac, Lyman, Esquivel...? Which albums are your Desert Island Five?

Ugh, I know the replies to this are going to cost me money.

[Hatter313]

Ritual of the Savage - Les Baxter
Voice of the Xtabay - Les Baxter and Yma Sumac (i'm going to cheat and go with the 1955 releaee that combines it with Inca Taqui)
The Sacred Idol - Les Baxter
Taboo - Arthur Lyman
And i guess the last one has to be the original Exotica by Martin Denny even if there's some tune overlap

[ScoJo]

Ritual of the Savage - Les Baxter
Voice of the Xtabay - Les Baxter and Yma Sumac (i'm going to cheat and go with the 1955 releaee that combines it with Inca Taqui)
The Sacred Idol - Les Baxter
Taboo - Arthur Lyman
And i guess the last one has to be the original Exotica by Martin Denny even if there's some tune overlap

Excellent selections, Hatter. Can't argue with those.

I'd throw in a couple of faves/outliers of my own:

Eden's Island - Eden Ahbez*
Exotica - Ted Auletta & His Orch
Virgin of the Sun God - Yma Sumac
Tropical Magic - Korla Pandit
Other Worlds, Other Sounds - Esquivel

* also one of my all-time fave albums, full stop!

[Hatter313]

I'd consider swapping out Taboo for Virgin of the Sub God.

I don't know Other Worlds, Other Sounds or Edens Island. I'll investigate post-haste

Also my commitment to not buy anything for a while has been broken.

[Hatter313]

Oh...OH this Edens Island record....Damnnit this is...WOW

[inksb]

Me right now reading about Exotica albums that I'm completely unfamiliar with

[Hatter313]

I'm also pretty partial to Sorcery by Sabu Martinez. More percussion obviously. Thanks to Trunk for this one surfacing again.

[ScoJo]

Oh...OH this Edens Island record....Damnnit this is...WOW

Come on in, H. The water is lovely. And a little bit eerie.

This album has been waiting for you your whole life ;)

[Hatter313]

Oh...OH this Edens Island record....Damnnit this is...WOW

Come on in, H. The water is lovely. And a little bit eerie.

This album has been waiting for you your whole life ;)

Those prices....*clutches pearls*

I'll be doing digital for a bit on this one, buts its on the want list for sure!

[inksb]

Listening to Eden's Island right now...this first track is quite awesome.

[ScoJo]

Well yeah... I only have one of the many reissues (all pressed in Europe, and easier to find here), the Black Sweat Rcds one - I used to also have the Munster with the facsimile og sleeve which I really miss/prefer, but I gifted to a pal a few years back in a drunken fit of generosity ;)

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[ScoJo]

Listening to Eden's Island right now...this first track is quite awesome.

You're falling under the spell.... relax, breathe....