Thievery Corporation

Newcomers to the sophisticated and elegantly languid Thievery sound should start with "The Outernationalist" on this 2002 release. A delicious combination of slack trip-hop beats, dub echoes, street sounds and "world" atmospherics, it typifies their upmarket take on the downtempo scene. Babylon, their third album, maintains this atmosphere throughout, blending acid jazz, Indian and Brazilian song structures. Few can do this so effectively, which is why you continue to hear these songs in every chic bar across the planet.

Most down-tempo electronica suggests a noir universe populated by morbid shadows,
endless regret and plenty of broken hearts. Thievery Corporation are the exception. The
Washington, D.C., duo's latest exudes a sense of contentment. Even when producers Eric
Hilton and Rob Garza transport you to a nocturnal setting, you feel as if the evening air is
blessed with the glow of a full moon. This atmosphere is palpable on "Omid" (Hop... More >