If you’ve heard of Thievery Corporation, it’s likely down to Zach Braff’s inclusion of them on the Garden State soundtrack, with the track ‘Lebanese Blonde’; a dramatic, brass-driven number with a mellow vocal that runs contrary to the instrumentation, it really only hints at the creative talents behind it. In fact, Thievery Corporation aren’t a band in the traditional sense; it’s the project of Washington D.C. musicians Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, who have spent the best part of twenty years making electronica and trip hop that incorporates a diverse range of musical influences; bossa nova, reggae, dub and acid jazz all included. Accordingly, their live shows play less like typical gigs and more like lavish celebrations of world music; a vast array of guest vocalists tend to take part, in order to translate their records as honestly as possible, and the same can be said for the instrumental side of things; whilst there’s a core band, with drums, bass and guitar taken care of, the palette is extended to all manner of weird and wonderful foreign sounds; a jazzy brass section, in particular, is key to the group’s aesthetic, as are the steel drums. They’re long overdue a return to the UK at this point; expect a veritable feast of international sounds should they ever make it back.
Marcus Johnson
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