Some of dance music’s favourite albums are reaching milestones that tell if they’ve stood the test of time or not. Among these is Banco de Gaia’s ‘Last Train To Lhasa’, released in 1995 to rapturous reviews as it set a new bar for ambient music and its ability to incorporate other cultures. Grooves like the loping beat of the title track, the spatial effects of ‘Kincajou’ and the fusion of beats and chant on ‘Kuos’ still sound really effective, and the majestic ‘White Paint’ still stands out towards the end of the album. There is a lot more to enjoy here though, as this handsome package takes the original album, remasters it, and adds no fewer than three discs. Discs two and three are extended mixes of the album tracks, with a particular treat in the inclusion of Kincajou in its Duck! Asteroid! version – three quarters of an hour of listening pleasure! The fourth disc offers the original material out for remixes, where Andrew Heath’s wide open version of ‘China’ and alucidnation’s gorgeous take on ‘White Paint’ are two successes to note. Often these deluxe reissues bring out a load of material that doesn’t complement or enhance the original work. In this case, anyone owning the original album is strongly urged to go and get it again – because Banco de Gaia’s music is proved to be of timeless ambience.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
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