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Sample Track 1:
"La Danza del Millonario" from Canibalismo
Sample Track 2:
"La Plata (en mi carrito de lata)" from Canibalismo
Sample Track 3:
"The Ride of the Valkyries" from Canibalismo
Layer 2
Album Review

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The Record, Album Review >>

Every couple of years, a new obscure world music trend gets its 15 minutes in the sun, while a sub-genre gets maybe five minutes at best. Colombian cumbia — a hypnotic Latin midtempo groove with reggae overtones — became a rage about three years ago, enabled in part by some excellent compilations by the Soundway and Vampi Soul labels. Shortly after came a compilation of Peruvian “chicha” music from the ’60s, which was a more psychedelic take on cumbia, orchestrated with surf guitars, Farfisa organs and vaguely Middle Eastern melodies. It could have remained a collectors’ footnote, but Chicha Libre is still around to ensure it’s not.

Chicha Libre is a modern band from Brooklyn, whose membership comprises South American, French and native New York musicians. Their 2008 debut was incredibly faithful to the original recordings of the ’60s; Canibalismo is unmistakably a modern record, even though all the vintage sounds are still there. And though chicha is still the dominant influence, it’s not the only one. American pop, African funk and other Latin rhythms all are all filtered through the lens of chicha — as well as Wagnerian opera, as their unique take on Ride of the Valkyries proves.

Download: La Plata, The Ride of the Valkyries, Number 17

 05/17/12 >> go there
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