S &D: space-age spy exotica lounge

I love Esquivel, but while his approach to arranging was certainly novel, at the end of the day his recordings still fall pretty comfortably in the realms of easy listening or instrumental pop. I hear a lot more Afro-centric, or Afro-Cuban, jazz in Sun Ra. Plus, you know, music from Saturn.

I enjoyed the recent Blindboy podcast where he talked about realising Hosono / YMO covering Denny's Firecracker was a funny and sharp comment on Denny's sweeping and super crass orientalism.

You can't go wrong with Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra's Futuremuzik. (Especially if you dig on "This is Hardcore").

i only have this by Peter Thomas, but it totally hits the spot re this genre

https://www.discogs.com/Peter-Thomas-Sound-Orchester-Raumpatrouille/release/830192

@paul The closest I’ve heard to the Ra exotica is Elisabeth Waldo “Sacred Rites”

http://www.spaceagepop.com/index.htm

(a good companion since the days of audiogalaxy)

So, this has finally been reissued.

https://numerogroup.com/products/technicolor-paradise-rhum-rhapsodies-other-exotic-delights?variant=42411309301958

I missed it the first time but I'm thinking about grabbing the repress. It seemed to inexplicably become really rare really fast. I sure do wish Numero still pressed CDs, though.

i was lucky to get it first time round. it is fabulous.

The Cocktail Nation podcast is a good listen. It's not all spyvibe/exotica--there's quite a bit of big band/crooner material--but they release at least a couple of episodes every week.

A couple episodes a week sounds like a lot to keep up with, but I'll definitely check it out!