Banco de Gaia

Banco de Gaia is the stage name for British artist Toby Marks. His music ranges from avant garde ambient to high energy techno, often within the same piece. Fiercely independent and eager to experiment, he brings in a wide range of influences: heavy metal, British house, Pink Floyd-style ambient and progressive rock, dub, Iberian chillout, Indian, Egyptian, and more. As he once said in an interview, “I’m not doing straight techno, I’m not doing straight ambient, and I’m not doing dub; but it’s all kind of mixed up in my music.”

Created a cult following in Europe with his first three ambient releases. His status became secure with Last Train to Lhasa (1995), one of the finest downtempo albums ever. “Last Train to Lhasa” influenced many artists and inspired a remix by Sasha & Digweed.

In 1999 Six Degrees Records brought Banks into wide distribution in America with The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia and the accompanying EP I Love Baby Cheesy. The Six Degrees releases disappointed some of Banks’ fans who were hoping for more of his earlier sound.

Marks is brilliant at times with his amalgamations; some times he leaves the listener befuddled. It has been widely said that Banco de Gaia music is hard to classify and really its musical complexities are better appreciated by the serious electronic aficionados.

After two “greatest hits” releases, Marks released his first new album in seven years in 2013 with Apollo and an accompanying Remix album. Apollo is definitely his best work since Igizeh if not Last Train to Lhasa. It features the full spectrum of Banco de Gaia sounds from ambient to techno, and to my mind anyway, a sense of positivity that has been lacking from Marks’s music for a long time. The remix album featuring some of the best talents in world fusion music is a real treat of high energy music,

Full Discography

2016 – The 9th of Nine Hearts
2013 – Ollopa: Apollo Remixed
2013 – Apollo
2013 – All Sleeping (EP)
2013 – Apollon (EP)
2009 – Memories, Dreams, Reflections
2006 – Farewell Ferengistan
2004 – You Are Here
2003 – 10 Years Remixed
2002 – 10 Years
2001 – How Much Reality Can you Take? (remixes)
2000 – Igizeh
1999 – Obsidian Remixes
1999 – I Love Baby Cheesy (remixes)
1999 – The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia
1997 – Big Men Cry
1996 – Live at Glastonbury
1995 – Kincajou (single)
1995 – Last Train to Lhasa
1994 – Heliopolis (single)
1994 – Maya
1992 – Deep Live
1992 – Freeform Flutes and Fading Tibetans
1991 – Medium