Martin Denny - Exotica (LP)

Martin Denny - Exotica (LP)

Step into the dawn of exotica with Martin Denny’s Exotica — the groundbreaking 1957 debut that launched a whole new sound and cultural movement. Recorded in Honolulu with Arthur Lyman on vibes and Augie Colon on percussion, the album blends lush vibraphone tones, bird calls, and island rhythms into an intoxicating soundscape that would define mid-century lounge.

The cover features Sandy Warner — Denny’s iconic “Exotica Girl” — whose face became synonymous with the genre. Her image, paired with Denny’s atmospheric sound, invited listeners into an imagined world of tropical nights, moonlit lagoons, and far-off shores.

More than an album, Exotica is a time capsule of 1950s hi-fi fantasy — a record that set the standard for tiki bars, backyard luaus, and adventurous listening ever since. This mono vinyl pressing returns to the original experience, warm and mysterious, exactly as it first entranced audiences nearly seventy years ago.

Original Release Date: 1957

For fans of: Ixtahuele, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, Robert Drasnin, Exotica

Original MONO recording preferred by MARTIN DENNY and featuring ARTHUR LYMAN & Augie Colon