Camino al Mar

Colombian siblings Andrea and Paulo Olarte Toro are the duo Acid Coco and this is their second album since the release of Mucho Gusto (reviewed in December 2020, #163). That debut album was tagged as ‘feminist cumbia,’ a theme that they continue with Camino al Mar. In this new recording, however, they broaden their repertoire to include a colourful cocktail of Caribbean dance beats, in particular champeta and reggaeton, with the occasional echo of folk influences.

Paulo has a solid international reputation in electronic dance music, while Andrea has travelled from Miami to Germany, where she sang with world fusion band, Hinsetzen Pause. Most of the tracks here have a light and catchy lilt that perhaps belies Andrea’s feminist message. Nevertheless, it is easy to imagine them going down well in dance clubs from Barranquilla to Cartagena, and further afield. Some of the rap songs seem a tad tired, though this might be down to the duo’s laid-back style. When they mix in more of Caribbean Colombia’s folk root rhythms and instrumentation, however, particularly with ‘Casilda’ and the standout ‘Más Claro que el Agua’, the duo hint at their broader versatility. Perhaps a third album might tap this rich musical vein more successfully.