We're gonna need a bigger drum...

If you like grainy, cavernous soundscapes then you're in luck. Book a seat if you like slow, grooving Big Beat. Do you care for Indiana Jones, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and spooky sound effects?

1000 Sounds Lotus by Thierry Boucetta AKA The Orientalist is here to brighten your day. The Orientalist could be described as Fatboy Slim after rather a large spliff, but better to laud him as a French expert on polyrhythms and electronica who places exotic percussive instruments in a stereo field so wide that he seems to have one foot in Africa and another in Asia while straddling the Persian Gulf. Ouch.

This release doesn't put a foot wrong - listen to it on headphones and it will take you on a trip, thanks to it's impeccable musicianship and imagination. The album is full of lovely background crackles and noises off, especially in the wonderfully Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark-meets-Hammer-Horror slow grind of Entering the Mummy Grave (lo-fi dusty dub mix). I could go on but I won't. Instead I'll recommend the aforementioned track and Islamatronic Cantilliation, a track that just drips with Indian/Middle Eastern atmosphere, sitars, tablas, and a head-nodding groove. Of course, you could ignore me and download the whole album anyway. *sniffs* OK, if you must. You won't regret it - 1000 Sounds Lotus is a joy. But lots of people out there don't have broadband yet, so I'm damn well going to keep making these recommendations, he said stubbornly. Enjoy. :)

TRACKS: Entering the Mummy Grave (lo-fi dusty dub mix) and Islamatronic Cantilliation

ALBUM: 1000 Sounds Lotus by The Orientalist on Fresh Poulp netlabel. EDIT: the Fresh Poulp link is now accurate. Apologies for the link that sent you to a site with a virtually identical name but with a very different and extremely naughty subject.