Latin, rock, ska, reggae, rap, electronic—there’s a bit of everything on this compilation from Virgin France. The hodgepodge of diverse fusions provides a sampling of what’s happening mostly in Paris and Barcelona, as well as in New York and Havana.
The polka-like "La Trampa" with Tonino Carotone & Manu Chao starts off an eclectic album. Italiano Carotone continues his lament with the poetic "Me Cago En El Amor". Chao can be heard again on his old band Mano Negra’s "Peligro".
The blends of rap with other Latin styles are sure to raise a few pierced eyebrows in delight. Cumbia and rap fuse with "Decadencia" by El Gran Silencio. Rap, reggae, and some salsa are provided courtesy of Sergeant Garcia on "Amor Pa Mi". P18’s "Escuchen Mi Conga" is a model of fusion. P18 stands for Paris-18th arrondisement and the song blends the best sounds from the Caribbean to be found in that neighborhood.
The remakes on this album are fascinating choices from a sociological standpoint. "Venezuelan In New York" by King Chango is certainly an interesting remake of Sting‘s "Englishman in New York". The "I’m an alien, I’m an illegal alien" refrain resonates more than it did with Mr. Tantric Sex. "Hasta Siempre", Carlos Puebla’s tribute to revolutionary Che Guevara, has probably been recorded more times in France in the last few years than in Cuba. From Nathalie Cardone and Ines Rivero (who covered the songs for the 30 year anniversary of his death), we move to the reggae-salsa version by King Mafrundi. If only El Comandante could see this now. Not all remakes are necessary, however. Orishas’ theft of the "Chan Chan" melody (made famous by the Buena Vista Social Club) for their song "537 CUBA" is unpardonable. Luckily, Eliades Ochoa’s Que Humanidad" is included and counters some of the negative effects of the not-that-great tracks.
Cool original tracks abound. "Hoy Y Ahora" by Spook & the Guay is great mix of rock and reggae, while Jarabe de Palo’s acoustic version of their hit "La Flaca" is welcome here. Anouk’s "Hi Hello. Hi Hello" is a reggae blend of English, French, Spanish, and both Amparanoia’s melancholic "El Destino" and Dusminguet’s "Cha Cha Cha" follow suit with their blend of French, Spanish, and English.
An imperfect but heterogeneous album that nonetheless gives a taste of Latin and Latin influenced music heard in France today.
Fuerza Fuerza
