Music Media Monthly,
Album Review
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Afro-Colombian music is a constantly shifting and expanding genre of Latin/Caribbean music, and if you want to get a sense of the state of the art, look no further than eponymous debut album by champeta band Systema Solar. Bandmember Dani Broderick explains that champeta “is African music reinterpreted by the Colombian people on the coast. You have African sounds mixed with Colombian rhythms and lyrics, with their lives and feelings, and with live remixing, putting on beats.” As the band’s name slyly suggests, its particular take on this musical style is deeply informed by the Jamaican tradition of outdoor sound system dances: booming bass, slamming beats, and combinations of rapping and singing make for an irresistible mix of wildly colorful and funky tracks. Listen in particular to the utterly brilliant “Chico,” with its dubby sound effects, funkerrific drums, and sudden incursion of classic Latino pop. If you’re in a snowy part of the country and are longing for some warmth and sunshine, here they are. 01/02/11
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