In the '50s, pianist Martin Denny was playing a residency at an open-air nightclub in Hawaii when he and his band (including Arthur Lyman on vibraphone, Augie Colón on percussion, and John Kramer on bass) began incorporating the sounds of nature into their songs (Colón had a knack for emulating bird calls), as well as embracing melodies and arrangements influenced by the sounds of the Pacific and the Far East. Denny and his combo landed a record deal for their unique music, and the song "Quiet Village" became a major pop hit in 1958, kicking off a new style of music that was dubbed "exotica" for its use of unconventional sounds and moods. Denny was a common presence on the sales charts for the next several years, and this box set features eight albums by Denny on four CDs (two albums on each disc) chronicling his most popular and productive period. Eight Classic Albums includes the albums Exotica (1958), Exotica 2 (1958), Forbidden Island (1958), Primitiva (1958), Exotica 3 (1959), The Enchanted Sea (1960), Exotic Percussion (1960), and Romantica (1961).

When's 2004 album Whenever features a characteristic mix of Middle Eastern influences, African tribal rhythms, as well as trademark When collages and cartoon loops. The lyrics, written by Chris Cutler, often deal with grim subject matter such as the apocalypse and death.

When was signed by Jester Records, newly set-up by Kristoffer Garm Rygg of Ulver, and the next album would mark another radical change in When's musical direction. Psychedelic Wunderbaum was indeed a psychedelic mix, with apparent inspirations from rock, noise, and cartoon music, and with lyrics taken from Aleister Crowley and Tom Wolfe. In 2003, When released Pearl-Harvest, more or less The Lobster Boys part II, but with lyrical concepts taken from The Arabian Nights. Combine those fables with sampled, shambling Middle Eastern bazaar muzak, jangling exotica and electronics, and you've got When's winning formula.

Lounge Psychédélique takes you on a journey into the world of Lounge, Exotica and Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, from its early days in the 1950s and 1960s to the current crop of artists championing the Lounge and Exotica sounds today. Compiled by Spencer Hickman and Mark McQuillan for Two-Piers Lounge Psychédélique (The Best of Lounge and Exotica 1954-2022) is the third instalment in the Psychédélique Compilation series on Two-Piers, following the critically acclaimed Pop Psychédélique (The Best of French Psychedelic Pop 1964-2019) and Garage Psychédélique (The Best of Garage Psych and Pzyk Rock 1965-2019).

Two CD set. Four albums plus bonus tracks from the master of exotica Martin Denny. Mono reproductions of the key albums that launched the space age bachelor pad music trend in the late 1950s. Complete with bird calls, deranged percussion, super cool vibes and Denny's distinctive piano. Including a host of hit records that launched a thousand copyists and ensured that the tiki trend, easy listening and the call of the islands would blossom. Featuring the super expensive (if you seek them out on vinyl) original mono mixes. It was 1957, down in Hawaii; some jazz guys had come in to take up the slack at the bar, playing subtle cool sounds while people drank and talked. It was the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Wakiki. The room was filled with palm trees and bamboo curtains, it was a sanctuary in the madness of the place, a stopping off point for the weary traveller, a refuge from reality. The band did long stints, fuelled by the free bar; the exotic setting slowly infused itself into their music, got under their skin. What started as a few bird calls amid the scraped percussion, shuffling drums, tinkling piano and offset vibes soon became the signature sound of the bar. The "sound effects", created by the players, increased and through chance, misfortune, rum and possibly initially boredom, exotica was born.

A Bestiary Of is a compilation album by The Creatures (aka singer Siouxsie and musician Budgie), issued on CD in 1997. It compiled remastered recordings made by the band between 1981 and 1983, including the Wild Things EP, the Feast album, the B-side of "Miss the Girl" and the "Right Now" single (backed by "Weathercade").

Space-lounge-jazz supremo Jimi Tenor attends the keyboards, drum machines and syn-flutes for a choice retro-futurist jag with Hamburg’s Bureau B.

Legend Of The Sun Virgin is a 1952 album by Yma Sumac, with additional tracks on the 1955 pressing that was simulated here. This is the 2021 remaster put out by Ellas Rugen.

The Invitations were a Honolulu pop vocal group from the 1950's featuring Sonny Kamaka, Alec Kaeck, Buddy Fo, Clem Low, and John Costello, who were about being true beach boys by singing songs about love and romance, along with the ladies they loved, all done in a Hawaiian motif. They started in the mid to late 1950's and were signed to Liberty Records. They continued after Hawaii statehood in 1959 and made music during the first half of the 1960's before Buddy Fo decided to explore his own musical career. R.S.V.P. was originally released by Liberty Records in 1959. This is taken from the Japanese CD released in 2006..

More Of Other Worlds, Other Sounds is the 1962 album by Esquivel. This was remastered and reissued by Reprise Archives in 1995.

Bacteria Cult is the new collaborative album between Norwegian artist John Erik Kaada and American singer Mike Patton. This is their first album together in 12 years, released by Ipecac. Many of Patton's collaborations are unpredictable and this one is non-rock. It was released on Patton's own label, Ipecac.