Sonido Gallo
Negro – Sendero Mistico (Glitterbeat)
LP/CD/DL
Out Now
8/10
Mexico’s
instrumental vintage cumbia group release their second album.
Hailing from
Mexico City, Sonido Gallo Negro (roughly translating as Black Rooster Sound)
are a nine-piece group playing instrumental tracks in a variety of
happy-go-lucky styles.
On Sendero
Mistico (Mystic Path), first released in Mexico in 2013, they blitz their way
through psychedelic themes with the occasional ghostly shouting whilst playing
a mix of spaghetti western and surf.
It’s high energy from start to finish and executed with aplomb.
Following
the release of their debut album, Cumbia Salvaje (Wild Cumbia) in 2011 they
rapidly appeared on national television and major festivals and have already performed
in Europe. Their sound is exciting and
brash, fusing traditional Latin and Cha-Cha sounds with those of Indie and Psychedelia,
and the end result is ten tracks of highly polished madness.
Several of
the tracks have introductions of soundbytes in a Spanish voice including La
Patrona which is a slow start to the proceedings, before El Ventarron picks up
the pace which is then rarely lost. Hammond
organs and congas aplenty.
Every track
has a great hook, none more so than Alfonso Grana (Selvatica) which displays
some great guitar work and does bear resemblances to the wonderful Los Chinches
in style. Tzantza Soul has a wonderful
dubbed out intro which would have been intriguing to hear more, but the favoured
spaghetti/surf sound takes over.
The
brilliantly titled Inca-A-Delic brings yet another unforgettable hook and album
closer Mistery Of Zangbetos goes samba with electric guitars! It’s certainly an enjoyable album and one
which succeeds at fusing several musical styles into one overflowing pot. Perhaps for the newcomer, it may sound a
little repetitive, but continued listens (and there will be plenty) will ensure
that it is enjoyed for the fun album that it is meant to be.
8/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 30/05/14 - here
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