Thanks to last year's critically acclaimed compilation "The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias," the Brooklyn-based septet Chi cha Libre formed to espouse the sound and make it a viable genre. Chicha grew up in Peruvian Amazon frontier towns. Its classic bands combined the plugged-in garage/surf rock of the day with Colombian cumbias.

On this debut, the group led by singer, founder and cuatro player Olivier Conan breathes life and verve into this moribund genre through the use of Joshua Camp's cheesy, tinny keyboard sounds and Vincent Douglas' twanging surf/spaghetti western guitars. Many of the tunes are grooving instrumentals similar to Beastie Boys' instrumental s, with occasional vocals in French and Spanish. But no matter the language, the combo's sound is a cool, psychedelic exotica influenced by '60s spy flicks, British-invasion rock, Latin rhythms and composer Ennio Morricone. And for the highbrows, the group also throws in melodies by Vivaldi, Ravel and Satie.

Chicha Libre presents a quirky, campy, rhythm-happy sound suitable for any party.

-- by Eric Feber