It's really interesting how, across all different cultures and countries and all of their respective musical endeavors, a love for a catchy tune is a common trait among them all. Maybe this love is stronger for some than for others, but more or less catchiness is adored worldwide. It's part of why someone like me, who has never stepped a single foot in South America (although I do hope to change that soon), can appreciate something like Baile Buacanero, which mixes several relatively esoteric Colombian folk styles with Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin jazz/hip-hop, and ska. Even if the music is clearly influenced by a culture I have a very limited knowledge of and the lyrics mostly in another language, I can still enjoy some catchy music. And this stuff is some very, very catchy music. Each of the fifteen tracks here has a horn line or a chorus or an infectious drum beat that is memorable as it is fun and ultimately beautiful. Add that with a lovely, island-living, relaxed atmosphere, and you have one of the best records of the young year and definitely a cumbia album to remember.
Bump |
