10 Years celebrates career highlights from the pioneer of global electronica, Banco de Gaia

When is a song too long? After the great punk wars of the late ’70s anything clocking in over three minutes was viewed with distrust and invariably dismissed as the indulgent ramblings of ‘muso’s (actually when the hell did music played by ‘muso’s, i.e. musicians become a bad thing?) Certainly there was more than enough self-indulgent dross around in the early ‘70s to make the arrival of punk almost inevitable but if we’re willing to dismiss music simply due to its length, or the technical ability of the creative forces behind it, then where does that leave Mozart or John Coltrane? If you’re after short songs played badly then boy have you picked up the wrong album.

Toby Marks, the creative force behind Banco de Gaia, is a musician not a DJ (although he has been known to spin the odd disc). In direct contrast to many of his peers who tumbled out of the acid house daze back in the ‘80s, Toby learned to play more or less anything he turned his hand to. He also had a strong grounding in a variety of musical styles from banghra to rock and was actually playing guitar in a jazz band (having tired of a rock scene dominated by the histrionic likes of Joe Satriani) when he discovered a whole new world of samplers, men dancing instead of hugging their pints and “Paid In Full” by Eric B and Rakim featuring the vocals of Ofra Haza (who later graced the magnificent “Desert Wind”) and everything dropped into place. The rest, as they say, is history, including Mercury nominations, critically acclaimed album releases and some of the most astounding, goosebump inducing live shows of the ‘90s.

Indeed it was just such a set at the Rocket in London's Holloway Road that was primarily responsible for ungluing this writer – a cynical, beer hugging, and rather portly, rock fan – from the back wall, and introducing him to the joys of dancing unselfconsciously (albeit very badly) for the first time. Sporting a fetching line in torch-light headgear due to the less than illuminating lighting conditions favoured in clubs at the time – and some two or three years before the brothers Hartnoll made head-lights de-rigeur fact fans – it was immediately obvious that here was someone who needed to see what he was doing rather than simply prodding the play button on a sampler or DAT machine. What resulted was the most astonishing thing these jaded gig-going ears had experienced in many long years, the pace and dynamics of the set ensuring even the most leaden-footed were swept along in the euphoric whirlwind of sound conjured by the magician under the bobbing mining helmet.

Now we have this, the first ever Banco de Gaia compilation 10 Years. Having finally managed to reclaim his back catalogue from the clutches of Mickey Mouse – a long and convoluted story which began with his former label Planet Dog being dragged kicking and screaming to the brink of disaster by parent label Ultimate and ending up with the rights to his material residing at the Disney Corporation – Toby decided the time had finally come to cross the t’s and dot the i’s of the previous decade by releasing the collection you now hold in your hands. One of the first things you will notice about 10 Years is that chronology has been ditched in favour of a seamless mix of old and new, proving that whilst the music has constantly evolved and changed over the years there is also a timeless quality about much of the material that allows it to sit happily anywhere along the Banco timeline. It is also worth remembering that whilst none of the songs here was recorded before 1992 (in keeping with the title of the collection) the songwriting dates as far back as 1989, with recorded output in the form of cassette only releases actually beginning in 1990.

Lazy music press descriptions of Toby’s music would have you believe that what you are listening to is ‘trance,’ but even the most cursory dip into this double album will reveal influences from as far afield as dub, rock, funk, prog, techno, jazz, hip hop, film soundtracks and a nice line in playful humour (check the grin-inducing potato speech at the end of “887” for example), so trance schmance. The even less informed will sneer that it has been created by a ‘hippie’, but if having a masterful grasp of the use of ambient sound and an acute ear for the more exotic realms of ‘world music’ (a phrase he incidentally hates) makes you a hippie then bring it on, you certainly won’t encounter any bonged-out slackers onstage when you’re trampled into mush at one of his muscular live sets.

So when is a song too long? When it’s a bad song. Music this good is seldom long enough, and musicians this talented few and far between. Sit back and let the talented Mr. Marks take you on a hypnotic musical journey that reaches across boundaries, wraps its arms around the world and spans the decades. Here’s to the next ten years Toby. Andy Basire: Music Editor – Making Music

CD1

1. Heliopolis (Redwood Mix) 06:15
(p) 1994. Written in 1993, this version taken from the single Heliopolis – City of the Sun Mixes. Original version on the album Maya.
Vocals by Sandy.
Produced by Toby Marks. Remixed by Toby Marks.
Recorded at World Bank.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

2. Kincajou 06:13
(p) 1995. Written in 1994, this version taken from the album Last Train To Lhasa.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

3. Drippy 06:49
(p) 1997. Written in 1996, this version taken from the album Big Men Cry.
Produced by Toby Marks and Rob Risso.
Recorded at World Bank.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

4. Last Train to Lhasa 11:14
(p) 1995. Written in 1994, this version taken from the album Last Train To Lhasa.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

5. How Much Reality Can You Take? (Jack Dangers Mix) 05:33
(p) 2001. Written in 2000, this version taken from the single How Much Reality Can You Take Remixes. Original version on the album Igizeh.
Produced by Toby Marks. Remixed by Jack Dangers.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

6. I Love Baby Cheesy (Skippy Mix) 05:33
(p) 1999. Written in 1998, this version taken from the single I Love Baby Cheesy Remixes. Original version on the album The Magical Sounds Of Banco de Gaia.
Produced by Toby Marks. Remixed by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

7. Obsidian 07:04
(p) 2000. Written in 2000, this version taken from the album Igizeh.
Vocals by Jennifer Folker.
Produced by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

8. Mafich Arabi 07:42
(p) 1994. Written in 1990, this version taken from the album Maya.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

9. Sakarya 05:39
(p) 2001. Written in 2001, this version taken from the Six Degrees Records compilation album Arabian Travels.
Produced by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

10. Drunk as a Monk 08:22
(p) 1997. Written in 1996, this version taken from the album Big Men Cry.
Uilleann pipes played by Aidan O’Brien.
Produced by Toby Marks and Rob Risso.
Recorded at World Bank. Additional instruments recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

11. Data Inadequate 07:31
(p) 1996. Written in 1989, this version taken from the album Live at Glastonbury.
Produced by Toby Marks and Rob Risso.
Recorded Live at Glastonbury Festival 1995.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

CD2

1. Desert Wind (featuring Ofra Haza) 07:46
(p) 1992. Written in 1991, this version taken from the Beyond Records compilation album Ambient Dub Volume 1.
Vocals by Ofra Haza.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at World Bank.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

2. Celestine 12:13
(p) 1997. Written in 1996, this version taken from the album Big Men Cry.
Baritone, tenor and alto saxophones played by Dick Parry.
Soprano saxophone played by Matt Jenkins.
Produced by Toby Marks and Rob Risso.
Recorded at World Bank. Additional instruments recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

3. Shanti (Black Mountain Mix) 07:16
(p) 1994. Written in 1993, this version taken from the Waveform Records compilation album One A.D.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

4. Sinhala 08:56
(p) 1999. Written in 1998, this version taken from the album The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia.
Produced by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

5. 887 (Structure) 14:02
(p) 1995. Written in 1994, this version taken from the album Last Train To Lhasa.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

6. Gizeh 09:36
(p) 2000. Written in 2000, this version taken from the album Igizeh.
Produced by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

7. Touching the Void 09:16
(p) 1999. Written in 1998, this version taken from the album The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia.
Produced by Toby Marks.
Recorded at New World Bank.
Published by Kaleidoscope Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

8. Amber (Insect Intelligence) 08:52
(p) 1995. Written in 1994, this version taken from the limited edition 3CD/4LP version of the album Last Train To Lhasa.
Produced by Toby Marks and Andy Guthrie.
Recorded at Gighouse, Leamington.
Published by Wanton Music/Notting Hill Music (BMI).

All tracks written by Toby Marks except “Obsidian” written by Toby Marks and Jennifer Folker, and “Desert Wind” written by Toby Marks, Ofra Haza and Bezalel Aloni.

This compilation mixed and mastered by Toby Marks at New World Bank, Somerset, UK, 2002.
All tracks (p) Disco Gecko Recordings.
Design by atombaby@hotmail.com.
Front/back cover photograph by Eugenie Arrowsmith.

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved in the Banco experience over the years, especially the current support team: Sandy, Eugenie, Wavey Davey, Andy Guthrie, Ted Duggan, Jamie Hickey, Marcus, Doug Smith at Coda, Chris@kleber, Ross at Kaleidoscope/Wanton, Roger Patterson and Anne Clayton.

And I must say thanks again to all the great musicians who have added their unique talents to the tunes, either on record or on stage, including: Jennifer, Dick, Matt, Ted, Aidan, Joe, Ash, Sandy, Larry, Gary, The Transglobal Jazz Odyssey melange and Ofra Haza.