Dámelo

Based in France and previously signed with Palenque Records of Bogotá, this septet specialises in a captivating blend of Afro-Colombian rhythms and spacey psychedelic sounds redolent of 70s prog. It’s a mélange immediately apparent on opener, ‘Te Entundo’, full of echo, cosmic keyboards and fuzzed guitar. Similarly, the gaita on the party-hearty ‘Dámelo’ is bombarded by a sonic astral shower through which bursts a very brash electric guitar as the number canters to a conclusion. Gaita features again on the rollicking, joyful single, ‘Mujer Perfecta’. Maybe not so representative of the album as a whole, the last of the eight tracks, the highly atmospheric ‘Pájaros Nocturnos (Night Owls)’, slows down the pace and eases the intensity with some lovely interplay between gaita and electric guitar, with (stoned) spoken words substituting for the (fine) vocals otherwise used throughout. It’s a delicious way to conclude this unassuming gem.