Banco De Gaia – Last Train To Lhasa (20th Anniversary Edition)

Very grateful to have a copy of this! I would have never been able to get my hands on the original 3xcd version and although I see some already complaining about the remaster(is anyone every happy?) I think overall the audio sounds great.
With all the extended mixes and bonus material this is a testament to Toby's inspired and focused artistic vision that deserve high praise. A classic its genre and an wonderful introduction to a crossroad where eastern music aesthetics merge with modern western technology (ok it was recorded in the 90s still its electronic music and ahead of its time!).

As mentioned below, someone noted that this release is unfortunately mastered 'louder' then the original 1995 release. However I'm more disappointed that the Extended Duck Asteroid remix of Kincajou is still mixed as I was assuming by extended it was unmixed. Does an unmixed version exist and will we ever hear it?

The first track "Last Train To Lhasa" on this release has DR 8, original 1995's release has 12! Why???

After "Last Train to Lhasa"'s precursor's 20th Anniversary Edition of "Maya" was released as a three disc aural journey in 2014, I naturally wanted to follow up the halcyon daze of euphoric aural bliss by treating my senses to "Last Train to Lhasa" in all of it's four disc extended glory. Now, Toby Marks has never failed to impress in any of his myriad releases over the years, and this anniversaire celebataire is no exception to his usual standards par excellence. The new spins on disc four are not so much "refreshing", as has been written viz. the spin on these spins, as the original tracks do not sound dated at all to my ear's opinion. The added bonus of finally hearing the mixes from the much vaunted original limited at release CD disc three/LP disc four on this re-issue is an added bonus for myself.
Finally, I am going to put my money where my mouth is, or where my ear is in this case, and I am going to donate to Free Tibet as the liner notes to my original verson of the album as well as this 20th Anniversary Edition prompt us to their succour http://freetibet.org/ . After all, I had heard years ago, that Toby was approached at one of his gigs and was warned off pursueing his pro-free tibet stance in his music. If only the behemothic World Bank was not as nefarious and as rapacious as the parasitic type of first world capatalism that it propagates, at the expense of third world nations and their resources and peoples. Ideals such as Toby deseminates via Banco de Gaia might make the World Bank and it's NWO masters realise themselves into a beneficial force that actually helps humanity instead of leeching for the profit of a few City Banks.
Anyhoo, I digress. I give this 20th Anniversary Edition five well-earned stars. Bless you Toby Marks.