Aug 27 2010
Kava Kon Official Site Departure Exotica, white label detroit 2005 Tiki for the Atomic Age, Dionysus Records 2009 For this installment of the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari, we’ll be taking a side trip into the world of neo-exotica. What is neo-exotica? From what I can tell, neo-exotica is exotica music made using synthesizers and other electronic …
Aug 19 2010
Daikaiju Official Site Daikaiju, Reptile Records 2005 Not to be confused with the similarly-named anthology series, Daikaiju is a surf band known for music influenced by Japanese monster movies (hence the name) and the kabuki masks worn by the four band members in order to hide their identities. Thankfully, the band’s origins are much less …
Jul 29 2010
With all of the focus on Tiki music here at the Local, it’s all too easy to forget its artistic side. Thankfully, Google Books makes it just as easy to jog one’s memory on the subject. Let’s start with Tiki Art Now! by Otto Von Stroheim and Robert Williams. In addition to its great information …
Jul 17 2010
The Waitiki 7 Official Site New Sounds of Exotica, Pass Out Records 2010 Waitiki is dead, long live The Waitiki 7! After their 2005 debut album, Waitiki released two more albums, 2007’s Rendezvous in Okonkuluku and 2009’s Magic Island Sounds: The Wedding Album, before departing from this mortal coil (figuratively speaking). However, its mission and …
Jul 17 2010
Waitiki Official Site Charred Mammal Flesh, Pass Out Records 2005 In our last exotica installment, I shared a story about the origin of the song “Bwana” (and about the use of animal calls in exotica) that had been told to me by an exotica musician. Since he went unnamed in that in order to help …
Jul 13 2010
Witches in Bikinis Official Site Witches in Bikinis, Second Wind Productions 2005 A Scary Kind of Love, Second Wind Productions 2008 All Hallows Eve, Second Wind Productions 2009 Special Edition Sampler CD, Second Wind Productions 2009 Taking their name from the first song they ever recorded, Witches in Bikinis burst onto the scene in 2005 …
Jul 07 2010
Arthur Lyman Bwana รก/Bahia, Collector’s Choice Records 2008 (Original release date: 1959) During my last exotica album review for the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari, I briefly touched on the use of sound effects in exotica music. To quote the Wikipedia entry on the genre: “Additionally intrinsic to the sound of exotica are bird calls, big-cat roars, …
Jun 30 2010
Strange But Surf Official Site Swimming in Reverb, Rancho Records 2007 Surf can be a strange genre at times. It can both exist independently and be connected to Tiki culture. Despite the name “surf,” a surf song can have little or nothing to do with surfing (something that will be made very obvious over the …
Jun 29 2010
It all started when Strange Jason sent me a link to “Gateways to Geekery” article about exotica music from the Onion AV Club. Not only was it a great, highly informative read (although the author is laughably wrong about the quality of modern exotica groups), but it made me realize the connections between exotica/Tiki culture …
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