Radio Zumbido - Los Últimos Días Del AM (2002)

This solo project by Radio Zumbido (aka Juancarlos Barrios) conveys the sensation of listening to a Central American AM radio station in the rural countryside while old men discuss politics and a live band plays in the background. It's a fascinating collage that includes electronic music, salsa, jazz, dub, and other styles, along with shortwave radio broadcasts and additional found sounds. Noteworthy tracks include "Radio Sololá," which starts out slow and melancholy before it's overtaken by blustery percussion (somewhat like what would happen if DJ Shadow's "Midnight in a Perfect World" and "The Number Song" were grafted together), and the eminently catchy "Caracol," which draws on Dave Brubeck's "Autumn in Washington Square." Several tracks could be considered danceable, but this album seems to be designed primarily to wash over the listener with layers of exotic sound. If this sounds appealing, there's a very good chance that you'll enjoy this album.