Rec | THE SACRED IDOL BY LES BAXTER

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The Sacred Idol is a gorgeously cinematic soundtrack that was made for a movie that was never released. It’s mysterious and fantastical. It transports you to some other imaginary dimension. I suggest you avoid looking at pictures of Les Baxter as this may ruin the music for you. The genre of exotica is kinda fucked up mashing up disperate cultures of South America, Africa, the Southeast Asia and the Levant without having any knowledge of the cultures. I’m half Peruvian-half Lebanese, so I too am a mashup of disparate cultures. There must be some metaphor within exotica for people like me. Growing up 1st gen American never feeling fully connected to either of my ethnicities and maybe I relate to this pictorial version of “exotic” cultures.

@sharleen

Jan 18, 2024

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@unqletio

I've been a guilty lover of exotica for some time now-- im just fascinated by the kitsch of it. its like if you made tablescapes into music. I'm half peruvian as well and find Yma Sumac to be a compelling participant in the phenomenon-- she channeled her miraculous talent through a consciously exoticized image. today we might criticize her or call it "selling out" but i cant help but suck up the mythic incan concentrate she developed. there's an element of colonialism to exotica that she is exempt from as a native and i think her story/inclusion elevates above the joke it's made out to be. check out the book Mondo Exotica if you havent already! lovely stuff in there

Jan 18, 2024

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