Thievery Corporation plays at Belly Up Aspen on Saturday

This year, Thievery Corporation celebrates 30 years. The duo has remained entirely relevant for three decades by generating one of the most unique bodies of work in electronic music, blending international sounds from cultures ranging from Brazil and Jamaica to India and Iran.

This Saturday, it performs at Belly Up.

“We wanted to make music where you didn’t know whether it was recorded today or a decade ago,” said co-founder Rob Garza. “We couldn’t possibly incorporate all our tastes into the music, but we do it more than most.”

Garza and Eric Hilton fuse dub, bossa nova, reggae, acid jazz and lounge, with an aim to advance modern music forward while still paying homage to the past. 

Their first LP in 1996, “Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi,” featured song-based electronic music along with wildly diverse vocalists. They immediately established themselves from other electronic acts by emphasizing organic instrumentation alongside electronic production. 

They continued to welcome musicians from all over the world both on stage and into their Washington D.C. headquarters. 

“D.C. was very cosmopolitan — lots of places to see international live music and jazz,” he said.

As their circle of influence broadened, they’d invite artists to play with them at their Eighteenth Street Lounge. Collaborations with other musicians extended the duo’s range, informing their evolving sound.

Tracks on their 2000 landmark release, “The Mirror Conspiracy,” such as “Lebanese Blonde,” blended dub-heavy beats and acid jazz with sitar playing, bossa nova and hip-hop. Meanwhile, “Shadows of Ourselves” fused French vocals with laid-back downtempo trip-hop and smooth acid jazz.

“(Thievery) evolved from our musical tastes. Artists who were for the people like The Clash, Fela Kuti, Mau Chao were so important to us,” Hilton said.

“Saudade,” released in 2014, is his favorite record because the quieter music it features was a creative stretch. He also highlights the 2020 release of “Symphonik,” recorded with an orchestra.

The duo was one of the forerunners of modern society’s inclusivity values, and they find it encouraging to see so many people working toward this goal these days.

The scene in Aspen—don’t miss a beat.

Sign up for our weekly Arts and Entertainment newsletter at AspenTimes.com/newsletter

“Engaging in social ideas has always been a part of what we’ve tried to do,” co-founder Hilton said.

“Radio Retaliation,” in 2008, portrayed their growing political consciousness with its socially aware lyrics, as well as global collaborations.

What motivates each of the them might differ at times, but their interest in global music and cultures has spawned their distinct sound. Though they can’t incorporate all of their influences, they do more than most musicians, depending on their own tastes, as opposed to record label or trend demands.

Their live shows incite audiences into sweat-inducing dance while avoiding electronic dance music tropes. Their shows have been described as journeys through soundscapes, complete with visuals and guest musicians.

While they’ve been the “chill-out” defining genre, they never limit themselves to a one genre. They’re both avant-garde and accessible with their mesmerizing rhythms.