Banco de Gaia (live)

A foundational figure in British electronic music, bringing together decades of ambient, dub, and world music-infused soundscapes.

Toby Marks has been recording and performing as Banco de Gaia for over thirty years, becoming a central figure in the UK’s electronic and ambient landscapes. Formed in 1989, the project emerged during the original wave of acid house and ambient house, eventually evolving into a sophisticated blend of global instrumentation and electronic production.

Marks’ early work remains a significant part of the electronic music canon. His debut studio album, Maya (1994), was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and reached number one on the UK Independent Albums Chart. It was followed in 1995 by the critically acclaimed Last Train to Lhasa, which also topped the independent charts and reached the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart. These records, along with tracks like Heliopolis, helped establish a blueprint for global electronica by integrating field recordings and international samples with club-focused production.

His music is notable for its layered approach, drawing on a broad palette of influences that includes the atmospheric textures of Pink Floyd alongside elements of reggae, jazz, and progressive rock. His output incorporates rock, worldbeat, and jazz, creating a sound that ranges from driving rhythms to more ambient, evolving electronic textures and landscapes.

Marks continues to release new material through his Disco Gecko Recordings label, including the 2024 studio album Trauma and the Rewritten Histories retrospective series.