Talk about exotica: A surf band from the mythical island of Jawaii (or Germany, depending on your sources), mixing styles from lounge to middle eastern, with vocals in English and Japanese, and artwork by Mexican illustrator Dr. Alderete. Sure, surf music’s a pretty standard genre, but the band has real craft and passion, not to mention some unique arrangements. Along with the familiar reverb-drenched staccato guitar runs are some uncommon elements. Jazzy drums, punky breakdowns, gypsy horns and swinging bass compliment the hula sound. Unlike a lot of popular surf groups, their general demeanor is more mellow and exploratory than aggressive. It’s a dynamic album with lots of fun and original melodies. Though mostly instrumental, there’s an underlying story about the band’s adventures in battling the nefarious Wa Wa Waky VII (also depicted in the package’s mini comic). A cool CD for summer.

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