Various

When you think about it, Sublime Frequencies is largely a rock-oriented label. Much of what they do involves either the inputs or the outputs of rock'n'roll in different parts of the world. Their Saharan discs display the cross-communication between Africa and America via amplified strings; Shadow Music Of Thailand is a distant echo of a Californian surf tsunami. When the music of Cliff Richard and the Shadows and other contemporary instrumental rock music of the '60s reached Thailand, it took off into wondrous new directions. These 17 tracks have plenty of lo-fi appeal and a slack sense of time and tuning, making them universally appealing. What might be furious surf anthems in California drop about 20-bpm and pick up a few Latin beats as they turn into sloppy yet trippy jam sessions from the garage. Most of the time the vibe is benignly strange and psychedelic, with no aggressive intent, but occasionally a badass guitar solo cuts through the mix to punctuate the proceedings.