"Atacama" by THE SMILING BUDDHAS is an aural roadmovie through the beautiful Atacama desert in Chile and Peru. The music ranges from ambient to techno, from shimmering drones to pulsating grooves. "Atacama" starts with "Walking Through The Desert Near Palpa (Hitched a ride in a battered collectivo in the end)". The piece starts with very high frequencies (out of a Roland JD-800) to finish with a rolling beat. First heat, too much sun, aching legs, thirst but at the end I've got a nice ride in a collectivo (taxi) watching the landscape passing by. "On The Moon On Earth (Valle de La Luna)“ points out the cosmological spirit of the ancient dwellers. "Ghost Towns On The Coast Of Guanera" is a hymn to the ocean, the wind, the albatros but brings us also in mind that the richness of a region through guano is history. "Flying On A Bus (Night Bus from Tacna to Nasca)" is the final tune of the travelogue. We never felt as close to death as on this crazy bus ride from Tacna to Nasca. Hit the road with "Atacama"! Longer soundfiles are available at the BASE homepage.