Best Lounge Music

Littoral - Hummel

Hummel is Andy Cummins, originating from Wellington, his first release being a 2001 self-titled album. Specialising in downbeat electronica, contrasting with acoustic guitar and vocals. He has been variously described as “..musical contrasts with fluid transitions. A token; a watermark; a collage; a correlation. A simple, textural, tonal montage.” .. and

Midpace

The Boy with the Aubergine Hair - Minuit

Minuit once again. This track is relatively commercial, appearing on the radiowaves of New Zealand even today. It can be found on Minuit’s 2003 release album “The 88“. Lead singer Ruth Carr was diagnosed with cancer while recording “The Guards Themselves”, underwent surgery, then went on a world tour

Midpace

If I gave u th mic - (mt) peace please remix - Sheelahroc

Sheelahroc were formed in Christchurch, NZ in 1999, initially with 8 members from all sorts of ethnic groups. They lasted until 2002, long enough to release this great track. It also launched the vocal powerhouse that is Karoline Tamati, better known as Ladi6 who went on to a stellar solo

Chillout

One Word Extinguisher - Prefuse 73

Prefuse 73 .. one of the many aliases of Guillermo Scott Herren, a Florida born musician suffering from an identity crisis, also going by the names of Delarosa & Asora, Ahmad Szabo, Piano Overlord, and part of the groups Savath y Savalas, Sons of the Morning, Risil, and Diamond Watch Wrists.

Chillout

Fireside Favourite - Groove Armada

Lounge legends Groove Armada come with a great track record for releasing quality music since the last millennium, and for reinventing themselves with a variety of musical styles. I only came across this track quite a long time after it’s release. Tracking it’s history, it seems

Upbeat

Summer Tune - Soulboy

A tragically unknown track, found buried on a 2002 compilation CD, with little to go on except it’s from New Zealand artist Cameron Fisher, other wise known as Soulboy. 13 years is a long time, even the compilation CD can’t be bought anymore. At least, I

Midpace

19c Trumpet - Cuffy & Leon D

19c Trumpet comes from Cuffy & Leon D, otherwise known as A. Cuff and L. Dahl. Cuffy started on the scene as a DJ in 1997 around Auckland, and joined the Red Bull DJ Academy in Dublin. Leon started with playing guitar in Rock band Fat Mannequin. In 1998 he

Chillout

Pressures - Audiosauce

Have you ever been really familiar with a track that you found on a compilation, or for the older ones out there, a mix tape, and not been able to find it anywhere else? This is the case with this track, Pressures, from Wellington band Audiosauce. While there is no

Midpace

Let'n off shots - Murk 108

Kiwi Ahmen Mahal, MC for the more well known band Rhombus, brings us his debut solo single in 2002, with Let’n Off Shots. Son of a blues musician, he is a true all-rounder, playing bass, keys, guitar and drums in addition to his vocals. He describes his philosophy:

Chillout

Daydream in Blue - I Monster

British electronic duo I Monster created this version, based on the 1969 hit Daydream, by Wallace Collection. They actually created two very different versions, one in 1998 and this one, first appearing in 2001, with an accompanying music video featuring puppets behaving badly. The male vocals take us in, following

Chillout

No Ordinary Morning - Chicane

Chicane is a British composer, who began his main musical career with the 1997 release of “Far from the Maddening Crowds”, an album considered a significant milestone in the history of Trance music. This track, “No Ordinary Morning“, came from the 2000 gold album, “Behind

Chillout

Fanfare of Life - Leftfield

Leftfield are a firmly established part of lounge music legacy. The song “Fanfare of life” traces its roots back nearly a quarter of a century. It began life in 1992 as companion track to “Song of life”, which in the early days, reached a mere 59th

Upbeat

Janine - DJ Kicks Thievery Corporation

The excellent DJ Kicks franchise has been under way now for more that 20 years. In May 1999 Thievery Corporation released their DJ-Kicks mix. The album is one of my all time favourites, with the tracks mixed into a gapless sequence. As a whole it feels like a trip to

Upbeat

Species II - Minuit

Kiwi band Minuit began converging EP tracks in the late 90’s before releasing their first album “The 88” in 2002. They’ve been regulars on the Wellington live music scene with the very unique female vocals of Ruth Carr, showing that they can do more

Midpace

EastWest - The K&D Sessions

The excellent EastWest [Stoned together] track was released by Austrians Kruder & Dorfmeister in 1998 as part of their mind-blowing K&D Sessions album. The double album was both a compilation and remix pulling together years of prior work. This track combines smooth female vocals, and on a listen