There can’t be many (or any) European compilations that take a deep dive into the Dominican Republic’s musical heritage but thankfully, Belgian vinyl digger Xavier Daive has spent many years in DR searching through long forgotten record shelves and boxes to bring us this fine collection of the second wave of merengue típico released a few days ago on the excellent Bongo Joe Records. Fast and frenetic party music propelled by hyperspeed accordion and fizzing guiras, “Merengue Típico 'Nueva Generación!” is a superb overview of this wildly popular Latin Caribbean genre. We asked our friend and DR native Mauro Ferreiro for his thoughts. Read / Listen
Read MoreViva el Sábado: Peruvian disco pop hits (1978-1989) (Buh Records)
Luis Alvarado from Buh Records has dug deeper than most to find this treasure trove of obscure Peruvian disco and disco-adjacent wobblers from 1978-89. Some are raw and untamed, some are as shiny as the 80s demanded but all are fun and funky! Read / Listen.
Read MoreLuzmila Carpio 'Inti Watana: El Retorno del Sol' (ZZK) - a review
The great Bolivian Andean singer, producer and activist Luzmila Carpio hasn’t released a new album in a decade (she has made over 25 though!) but she is now back with a beautiful collaboration with Argentinian folktronica producer Leonardo Martinelli that is both charming and deeply emotional in equal measure. Luzmila’s voice has lost none of its power or childlike wonder and her songs of ritual, communion and ceremony merge seamlessly with Martinelli’s soundscapes. A triumph. Read / Listen
Read MoreCoco María presents Club Coco ¡AHORA! The Latin sound of now (Bongo Joe) - a review
The acclaimed DJ and radio host Coco María has curated a second compilation of contemporary Latin sounds for Bongo Joe but this time she has passed her cultured eye over the more untamed pan-global proponents of the music and it is brilliant! With contributions from Truth & Lies favourites Alex Figueira and Acid Coco via tracks from scene godfather Eblis Álvarez and wild grooves from Guess What and Candeleros to moments of joyful melody from Las Mijas, this is an essential record for lovers of Latino or tropical psychedelic sounds. Read / Listen.
Read MoreJoaquín Cornejo meets Markandeya 'Vision Versions' (Earthly Measures) - a review
Ecuadorian producer Joaquín Cornejo has delivered a dub reinterpretation of another dub album from the Swedish producer Markandeya for Earthly Measures and it is really quite beautiful in it’s languid sundried atmosphere. Sensual, colourful and not without rhythmic surprises, this is perfect for horizontal living or cranked up for the dawn rave. Read / Listen
Read MoreInsólito UniVerso 'Ese Puerto Existe' (Olindo Records) - a review
For their second album for Olindo Records, the Venezuelan trio Insólito UniVerso have gone deep into their country’s musical heritage, exploring rhythms and musical strains whilst adding their own psychedelic, experimental vision. With guests including Stereolab’s Lætitia Sadier, the trio have produced a brilliantly written and produced record that is our favourite album of the year so far and one likely to stay in our boxes for a long time. Read / Listen
Read MoreEmpanadas Ilegales 'Luna Modular (Creepy Mambo Single Version)' - T&L PREMIERE!
We are pleased to premiere an exclusive single version of ‘Luna Modular’ from the Vancouver based psychedelic cumbia and salsa outfit - the hilariously named Empanades Ilegales. On the eve of the release of their second album, ‘Creepy Mambo’, it has that infectious psyche-surf-cumbia abandonment of acts like Meridian Brothers and is sure to shake those hips hard! Read / Listen / Buy here..
Read MoreLos Kenya 'Siempre Afro-Latino' (Música Infinita/Olindo Records) - a review
A ridiculously fresh sounding Venezuelan salsa LP reissued for the first time since 1968 from one of the most prolific bandleaders of the time, Ray Perez. Hip, sexy, full of swagger and serious playing, Música Infinita/Olindo Records have done this reissue the right way, with beautiful new artwork and a fat remaster from The Carvery. Read / Listen here
Read MoreIsaac Sasson 'Canciones de Isaac' (Olindo Records) - a review
Isaac Sasson has released an album of perfectly poised gentleness containing thirteen evocative folky vignettes of life and family in Venezuela and Barcelona. Field recordings of nature accompany his tender voice, exquisite songwriting and light touch multi-instrumentalism. It’s a stunning record. Read / Listen
Read MorePenya 'False Prophets' (Liminal Recordings) - video and Cuba Solidarity Campaign
The genre-busting Penya have a brand new remix EP on the way and for the first three months, all the Bandcamp sales raised from their brilliant new single ‘False Prophets’ will be going towards the COVID-19 Medical Appeal for Cuba via the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. Afro-latino rhythms from the past hurtling into the future is their game and we’re big fans. Check the superb video and order the remix pack here
Read MoreVarious Artists 'Color de Trópico Vol. 2' (El Palmas Music) - a review
A top shelf compilation of impossible to find music from Venezuela’s boom years (1966 - 78) touching on cumbia, salsa, folkloric and even localised versions of Fela Kuti and Desmond Dekker to get you moving and smiling… Read / Listen here
Read MoreRetusa: Luis Pérez Ixoneztli 'Santuario de Mariposas' (Tokonoma Records) - a review
An extraordinary sonic journey into an imagined Aztec past using archaic instruments and a deep well of ritual and mind-altering experimentation. Sometimes there's a heavy groove, sometimes the jungle is inside you. A brilliant and first time reissue of this little heard collection of magic on Tokonoma Records. Read / Listen…
Read MoreGerry Weil 'The Message' (Música Infinita) - a review
A superb reissue of Gerry Weil’s funky Jazz-Rock opus ‘The Message’ is a snapshot of 1970’s Venezuela and a reminder that the hippie dreamers could create some serious art amongst the spiritual platitudes…Read / Listen here…
Read MoreBerra Boi (live) in João Pessoa (Paraíba) for Zona Mundi Festival - video and review
Berra Boi are an experimental instrumental trio led by our friend Chico Correa, a producer, musician and DJ from Brazil who has proven time and again his willingness to dive deep into intriguing musical spaces without prejudice. For this psychedelic live performance for the recent online Zona Mundi Festival, the trio explore electronics alongside the indigenous rhythms of Northeastern Brazil creating an audio-visual freak-zone of their own….Watch / read here!
Read MoreMariachi Las Adelitas - El Toro Relajo (video)
Europe’s only all-female Mariachi band (endorsed by Salma Hayek no less), have managed to navigate the lockdown troubles of 2020 and remotely record a stunning rearrangement of the Felipe Bermejo song ‘El Toro Relajo’ and it’s wonderful. Watch the video here….
Read MoreDeep Stuff on Music and Life with Acid Coco - an interview
Acid Coco are a white hot new duo hailing from Colombia whose first singles off their forthcoming long player on El Palmas Music have been getting plenty of radio play from us here at T&L with their hybrid of tradition and stripped down electro shock sounds. We couldn’t think of anyone better to interview them than our man in Dominican Republic - Mauro Ferreiro.
Read MoreA quick chat with Dominican Republic record shop Tútalo Records
Mauro Ferreiro has a revealing chat with Lenny, co-founder of Tútalo Records in Dominican Republic - talking about the slow rebirth of local vinyl culture and the incredible sounds that the island has birthed. If you love Cuban and Spanish Caribbean music, your ears are in for a serious treat…. Read / listen more….
Read MoreNew Music Reviews by Mauro Ferreiro - June 2020
We asked our friend and collaborator Mauro Ferreiro (Error Subcutáneo) to review some recent releases we’ve been listening to and as a talented musician and producer in his own right, he’s got some great insight…read / listen here…
Read MoreRecondite Caribbean Gems: Rhythms of the Dominican Republic
An illuminating look and listen at the wondrous yet often overlooked rhythms of the Dominican Republic from Santo Domingo native and creative wunderkind Mauro Ferreiro. Read / listen here….
Read MoreBro David: Modern Music From Belize (Cultures Of Soul) - a review
Bredda David Obi wanted to create a modern tropical sound for his homeland Belize and he did just that. It was called Kungo (or Cungo) and the excellent Cultures Of Soul label have put together a superb compilation of Bro David’s works….read/listen here…
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