Coba Coba

Novalima's second album, 2006's Afro, was such a stunner that it was difficult to imagine how the Afro-Peruvian modernists would surpass it. And, truth be told, they haven't. Where its predecessor was rich with golden melodies, irresistible beats, and seductive vocals, Coba Coba offers fewer sparks and moments of distinction. That's not to suggest it isn't a worthy album, only that its more minimalist, harder-edged production and less global-minded reach allow for fewer sonic surprises. As before, Novalima walk through genre walls as if they weren't there, deftly melding traditional Peruvian rhythms with more familiar Latin elements, state-of-the-art electronica, and floor-shaking dance grooves. There are new twists here, including reggae/dub, Cuban-inspired percussion, hip-hop, and funk, as well as nods to mainstream Western pop, some of it perhaps initiated by the new members who now augment the original quartet. Special guests from as far afield as New Zealand, Spain, and the U.K. also bring welcomed coloring to the proceedings. Were it just about rhythms and grooves, Coba Coba would be as successful as Afro, but vocally it's substantially less inspired. Female singer Milagros Guerrero remains a charming and captivating frontperson, lighting up tunes such as "Libertad," "Ruperta/Puede Ser," and "Camote," but there's not nearly enough of her here, and when male vocalist Juan Medrano-Cotito takes over the mike, the flame noticeably dies down. ~ Jeff Tamarkin

アフロ・ペルー音楽にエレクトロニクスとダブ処理を加えた最新型ラテン・サウンドで人気を博す4人組の3作目。箱型打楽器のカホンを中心に据えた情熱的でパーカシッヴな楽曲は非常に聴きやすく、また現代的な感覚で味付けされているので、普段ラテン音楽を避けている人にこそオススメしたい!　ラップあり、レゲエ調ありと、まだまだ肌寒いこの季節をガンガンに盛り上げてくれること間違いなしのホットな一枚だ!　　　　　
bounce (C)西尾 洋儀