Since somewhere around the turn of the century, Federico Aubele began making a name for himself as a new breed of Argentinean musician, adeptly inserting the musical heritage of Buenos Aires amongst downtempo beats and dub grooves. It made for a couple of arresting records, 2004’s Gran Hotel Buenos Aires and Panamericana from 2007. Though overlooked in comparison, those records were the Latin America equivalent of Blue Lines and Dummy, juxtaposing not so dissimilar musical strains in a way so natural that it was surprising no one had thought of it before. Joined by a bevy of guest singers, Aubele joined traditional bolero and tango sounds with deep bass dubs, carving out his own niche in the process.

Aubele’s latest album, Amatoria, is nothing so shocking—except considering it in the context of his other work. On this record, he abandons most modern influence, instead drawing his inspiration from more traditional sources. While one may notice some slight-of-hand resembling his old ways, especially on “Luna y Sol” and “Te quiero a ti,” here Aubele presents himself as a straightfaced singer-songwriter, sticking to his Latin heritage and its romance language. Essentially stepping out from behind the curtain, Aubele doesn’t yet have the chops to pull off a dozen songs, and Amatoria wanes fast as the record progresses. Though he’s perhaps following his own muse, it has led him astray and to making a record beneath him.
Stephen Slaybaugh