Banco de Gaia

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Banco de Gaia is an electronic music outfit from England, formed by Toby Marks (born 1964) in 1991. Marks was born in South London and was educated at an old fashioned boy's school. In 1978 he began his musical career, as a drummer in a heavy metal band.

Marks moved to Portugal in 1986, and played Beatles music for tourists. He first delved into electronic music in 1989, when be bought a digital sampler. His first tune he ever recorded on it was "Maxwell House".

The music of Banco de Gaia might fall into the ambient dub category, but Marks defies genres. He often uses Arabic and Middle Eastern samples against a bass-heavy reggae, rock, or trance rhythm. Deeply textured, his tracks progress layer upon layer.

[edit] Discography

• Medium (1991)
• Freeform Flutes and Fading Tibetans (1992)
• Deep Live (1992)
• Desert Wind (EP, 1993)
• Maya (1994)
• Last Train to Lhasa (1995)
• Live at Glastonbury (1996)
• Big Men Cry (1997)
• The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia (1999)
• Igizeh (2000)
• 10 Years (2002)
• 10 Years Remixed (2003)
• You Are Here (2004)
• Farewell Ferengistan (2006)

The first two albums existed only on tape and are no longer being sold due to copyright issues with several samples used on them.

[edit] External links

• Banco de Gaia Official Page
• Banco de Gaia at All Music Guide