The opener, "Como Cantan, Coma Bailan Los Negros," opens up almost like a traditional folk song, but as the percussion comes, you realize it is something else altogether. It is the African beats which bring it in to a new realm. A flute is a constant in the song, adding flourishes of melody in quite an artful fashion. On "De Espana," a lone solo guitar comes in with a classical Spanish flavor, creating punchy little chords, until it drops down into a rhythmic bass line along with subtle beats laid down by a cajon, a percussive instrument played by Rony Campos, the album's producer. The song drifts for a while, allowing the guitar to add flourishes of complex lines and melodic nuances until Monica Duenas' voice comes in.

Most songs on this album have an elegance and beauty that could be born only out of years and years steeped in tradition and practice. The songs are so loose and organic it is often very easy to overlook just how astonishingly complex the rhythms actually are. It is this effortless execution of these beats that helps cover up their complexity with that organic, earthy feel. "Alcatraz" is a good example of this. The classical guitar comes in with a simple bass line. It plays for long enough for you to think that the song's structure is set in stone, but as the percussion comes in, the songs character is drastically altered, yet still grounded in work laid down in the opening. Again, Monica's voice is at the center of the song's character. It is simple and heartfelt, with great passion put into every vocal nuance.

For anyone out there who is seeking out something new and wants to get their hands on something which manages to break all barriers between complexity and pure elegance, this is a record for you. Whether or not you are familiar with Afro-Peruvian music or not, the ancient grooves and the captivating soul of this music are enough to pull in almost anyone and keep them listening. This is an album full of surprises.