Thievery Corporation is the duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, who both function as DJs, producers and musicians. Under the broadly defined heading of electronica, they create music that links dub, bossa nova and jazz with electro-lounge beats, psychedelic flourishes and more than a few elements of world music. Imagine a sound that ties together the dub of Lee "Scratch" Perry, classic Antonio Carlos Jobim sides and the Garden State soundtrack.
Garza and Hilton's new Versions consists mostly of remixed versions of other musicians' songs -- including sublime covers of songs by Herb Albert, The Doors, Sarah McLachlan, Astrud Gilberto and, perhaps most notably, Nouvelle Vague's cover of Public Image Limited's "This Is Not A Love Song."
With its insidious cloud of warm keyboards and droning sitars, Thievery Corporation's cover-of-the-cover qualifies as hipster electronica: It's "Chariots Of Fire" for the indie-rock set, yet it's also palatable enough for those who enjoy the faux-fusion that populates countless VW commercials. Most of all, however -- and most importantly -- it functions as a smooth, virtually irresistible pop song.
Listen to yesterday's 'Song of the Day.'
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