Jan Schulte ‎- Tropical Drums Of Deutschland (2017)

Tropical Drums of Deutschland is an intriguing proposition. Put together by Jan Schulte, whose Wolf Muller project draws influence from exotic new age music and gentle global drum rhythms, the compilation focuses on "tropical" music made in and around Germany, most during the mid to late 1980s. It's a fascinating listen, but far more introspective and melancholic than you might expect. Of course, there are percussive tracks that feel dancefloor-friendly - see Argile's "Tagtraum Eines Eleganten", and Sanza's beguiling, drums-and-vocals workout "Sounouh" - but for the most part the material selected by Schulte (and, on a couple of occasions, re-edited) tends towards the horizontal. This is not meant as a criticism; if anything, it makes the collection a much more beguiling listen.