Musicbox

I like to introduce some lesser known bands that I usually listen to, perhaps on a regular basis.

I'll start off by introducing the Supreme Beings of Leisure. This former quartet (current duo) was formed in 1995 when Ramin Sakurai (keyboards) Rick Torres (bass) and Kiran Shahani (guitar), hooked up with vocalist Geri Soriano.

They play a refreshing trip-hoppy blend of groove that is very Morcheeba-esque. Their multi-ethnic background which spans from Ireland, to India, Japan, Iran, Puerto Rico and the Dominian republic has made their music new and different from the normal trip hop electronica.

The Japanese-Iranian Ramin Sakurai has introduced a fascinating blend of Tar and Santur music in some of the tracks, which I have never heard before in a clean and propper trip hop sound. Here's him on this issue in one of the interviews:

"I wanted to bring in some of my Iranian heritage on this record so I hired a santur [distant cousin to the hammered dulcimer] player for one track," Sakurai says of "Rock and a Hard Place" from DOS. "My mom's great musician friends have come over here to Los Angeles from Tehran and other parts of Iran for years. She actually hooked me up with a tar player [six-string banjo-/mandolin-like instrument] for the first SBL record and a santur player for this new one. I love the sound of the santur and have always wanted to play one myself. That guy was fantastic, he just nailed it."

Their first self-titled album acheived respectable sales. Since then the band has split, with Ramin and Geri continuing under the same name, and they have released a second SBL album called Divine Operating System.

I definitely recommend those who are into trip hop and downbeat music to check them out. Here is the track Strangelove Addiction which features a nice Tar sequence in the beginning.

And here are some references:

- SBL Official Website
- SBL Unofficial website
- Review of SBL from music-critic.com
- Review of DOS from music-critic.com