Exotica (Bananarama album) explained

Exotica is the eighth studio album released by the British female vocal duo Bananarama. The album was released only in France by the independent label M6 Interactions.

Background

The work is a combination of new material along with re-recordings of past Bananarama hits, including a Latin pop version of the U.S. and UK Top 10 hit, "Cruel Summer". The album wasn't a commercial or critical success, in part due to the limited budget of the group's label and lack of an international release. "If" and a cover version of George Michael's "Careless Whisper" were utilised as promotional singles, the latter of which receiving an accompanying music video.

Track listing

1. "If" — 3:52 (P. Caubet, S. Dallin, K. Woodward)
2. "Starz" — 3:45 (S. Dallin, T. Moran, Bassey Walker)
3. "What You Gonna Do" — 4:32 (S. Dallin, B. Walker)
4. "Cruel Summer" (2000) — 4:05 (S. Jolley, T. Swain, S. Dallin, S. Fahey, K. Woodward)
5. "Crazy" — 4:01 (S. Dallin, P. Hampartzyoumyan, K. Woodward)
6. "Boom" — 3:15 (S. Dallin, P. de Havilland, B. Walker)
7. "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." (2000) — 3:24 (S. Jolley, T. Swain, S. Dallin, S. Fahey, K. Woodward)
8. "Careless Whisper" — 4:02 (George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley)
9. "Sleep" — 4:06 (S. Dallin, P. Statham, B. Walker, K. Woodward)
10. "I Heard a Rumour" (2000) — 3:53 (S. Dallin, S. Fahey, K. Woodward, M. Stock, M. Aitken, P. Waterman)
11. "Got a Thing for You" — 3:41 (P. Caubet, S. Dallin, B. Walker, K. Woodward)
12. "Venus" (2000)— 3:38 (R. V. Leeuwen)

Personnel

Bananarama

• Sara Dallin - Vocals
• Keren Woodward - Vocals

Produced by

• Krysty Music Ltd.

Vocal arrangements

• Sara Dallin on most songs
• Keren Woodward on most songs
• Bassey Walker on most songs

Recorded at

• Krysty Music Studios, Paris
• Pat Studio, Paris

Voices recorded at

• Matrix Studios, London
• North London Studios
• Studio du Palais des Congres, Paris
• Big Onion Studios, London

Guitars

• Vasken Sayrin on "If", "Boom", "Careless Whisper" and "Got a Thing for You"
• Alejandro Otero on "Cruel Summer"
• Juan-Carlos Pellegrino on "Careless Whisper", "Sleep" and "Venus"

Keyboards

• Pascal Caubet on most songs
• Juan Carlos Pellegrino on "Cruel Summer"
• Florent Enfer on "Robert De Niro's Waiting...", and "I Heard a Rumour"
• Patrick Hampartzoumian on "Crazy"

Programming

• Florent Enfer on most songs
• Patrick Hampartzoumian on "Crazy"

Arrangements

• Pascal Caubet and Florent Enfer on most songs
• Bassey Walker and Peter de Havilland on "What You Gonna Do"
• Patrick Hampartzoumian on "Crazy"

Executive producer

• Pascal Caubet

Sound engineer

• Juan Carlos Pellegrino

Mixed by

• Juan Carlos Pellegrino and Pascal Caubet on most songs
• Patrick Hampartzoumian on "Crazy"