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A remarkable revolution is taking place in
Latin music these days, as electronica and remixing meet the more
traditional rhythms of Argentinean tango, Afro-Cuban son, Brazilian
bossa nova and Colombian cumbia. On Putumayo ’s new collection, Latin
Lounge, artists such as Sidestepper, Si*Sé, Charanga Cakewalk and
others prove that there can be a magical blend of modern musical trends
and traditional Latin styles. Among the better known groups
featured on Latin Lounge is the UK/Colombia/Cuba collective
Sidestepper, renowned for fusing electronics and traditional
Afro-Caribbean rhythms.Their featured track, “Dame tu Querer”, is a
dub-flavored love song recorded in Havana with Cuban vocalist Ronald
Infante.
Exclusive to Latin Lounge is a previously
unreleased remix of Si*Sé’s “Mariposa (en Havana).” Says lead singer
and co-founder Carol C., “We’re a band from New York City and we try to
combine all of its musical traditions including hip-hop beats, Latin
rhythms and down-tempo electronic music because that’s what we hear
every day of our lives.”
While Latin Lounge features several
internationally known artists, it also highlights discoveries such as
Bebe, a singer-songwriter whose recent collaboration with electronica
DJ Carl Jean has made her a star in her native Spain. Another rising
star is the Spanish band Amparanoia, a leading band in the mestizo
(mixed) movement, so-called for its boundary-crossing blend of
flamenco, Afro-Cuban music, hip-hop, electronica and other influences.
Roberto Poveda, a Cuban musician and composer based in Miami is a new
voice whose subtle updating of traditional son will be heard by a wide
audience for the first time on Latin Lounge. From Argentina come Andrés
Linetsky and Federico Aubele who, along with Italian duo Alacrán, are
each taking the tango-electronica fusions pioneered by Gotan Project in
exciting new directions.
Two Europe-based Brazilian artists
who make an appearance on Latin Lounge are Luiz de Aquino, who comes
from São Paulo by way of Paris, and the eclectic Wagner Pa &
Brazuca Matraca. A Rio de Janeiro native who has lived in Barcelona for
more than twenty years, Pa mingles his own polyglot influences with the
help of Spanish, Argentinean and Venezuelan musicians.
Rounding out the surprises on Latin Lounge are the updated cumbia and
mambo flavors of the Austin, Texas group Charanga Cakewalk, and a
refreshingly unexpected track in which Mexican singer Adriana Castelazo
joins with alternative healing guru Deepak Chopra to give a seductive
Latin remix flavor to lyrics based on ancient Indian love poems.
On the Putumayo collection Latin Groove we explored the upbeat side of
this trend. Latin Lounge continues the journey, this time uniting
tracks with a more chill out vibe. Latin Lounge is the latest in a
series of successful Putumayo releases focusing on exciting new
directions in down tempo electronica and world music that includes the
collections World Lounge, Euro Lounge and Sahara Lounge.
A
portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to
Oxfam America in support of their development efforts in Latin America.
Songs and artists are:
Alacran • Reflejo de Luna
Roberto Poveda • Sueño Mamá
Bebe • Siempre Me Quedará
Sidestepper • Dame Tu Querer
Si*Sé • Mariposa (en Havana)
Luiz de Aquino • Caminhos de Cuba
Amparanoia • Don't Leave me Now
Wagner Pá & Brazuca Matraca • Folía
Charanga Cakewalk • Carmela
Federico Aubele • Esta Noche
Deepak Chopra featuring Adriana Castelazo • In Love With You
Andrés Linetzky & Ernesto Romeo • Sentimientos
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