COLL: Sunset Series Vol. 3: Thailand Sunsets (mixed by Ben Turner)
Label: Pagan Records

I reviewed the first two of the Sunset Series, and this one, the third, is really nice. The first two were a bit more downtempo-electronic, whereas this one gets into new-age & world music a lot more. And by no means does the new-age sound boring – in fact, many of the new-age-y tracks are ambient tracks released on very respected underground electronic labels such as F Communications and Force Inc. This is a great compilation, nicely mixed, and works for world-music or ambient-downtempo shows. Try all. Best is 2,4,5,8,10,13.

1. slow bassline, long flowing sax tones, gentle trip-hop beat
2. Latin-y percussion and a mix of world-y instrumentation w/ fem. vox in Spanish
3. lush synthesizers, catchy melody, snappy drums – kind of synth-pop-ish
4. snappy breakbeats, deep dub-ish bass, sugar-y vocals, builds up tempo
5. new-age – some guitar & ocean sounds & pretty synths
6. relaxed Spanish folky love song with guitars, maracas, & some synths
7. flowing synths and nature sounds, with some snappy hi-hats
8. relaxed world-y pop (African?) ballad – really catchy – very good
9. folky pop ballad – mellow guitars & flowing synths – but builds up nicely
10. pianos, ambient synths, nature-sounds & birds – new age – but memorable
11. new-wave-y synth-y pop, catchy melody – kind of cool
12. reverb-ed piano loop dance-y beats – simple but effective
13. warbly synths & guitar, reverb-ed vocals & effects – really nice & mellow