[coll]: Latin Lounge (Putamayo)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 10/6/05
Latin chill-out, nuevo and electronica overtones with various laid-back Latin styles. Either for relaxing in the hot tub or dancing with your enamorata along on a beach after a few mojitos – NOT for getting sweaty in a club. Very pretty and dreamy. Booklet is worth reading – succinct descriptions and even pronunciation guides!
No discernable FCCs. I like 9 and 7 best – others all pretty but kinda samey.
1. wistful, dreamy bossa nova with pretty female vocals
2. male vocals, rhythm based on Cuban “son”, but down beat. Trumpet in the distance
3. starts with female spoken bit working gradually into a slow groove with pretty harmonies and acoustic guitar
4. *more emphasis on electronica than previous tracks. British and Columbian producers made this song with Cuban vocalist. Midtempo salsa with male vocals, violin. Band is hot these days.
5. downtempo son, female vocals, very pretty.
6. starts with whispered male vocals and guitars, nice midtempo groove with accordion and sparce production. Parisian guy combining Cuban and Brazilian influences and singing in Portuguese – talk about a small world…
7. **Amparo’s distinctive, rich voice makes this a standout. It is such a mass of influences that it’s hard to pin it down as any particular style – it’s down-tempo and laid-back with nice guitars and great female vocals.
8. midtempo with a bit of percussion, some electronic instrumentation, male vocals, joined by Manu Chao on choruses, not that you can really tell.
9. **fun tiki lounge cha cha groove with farfisa – very early 60’s. Occasional male chorus and spoken bits.
10. full sound with more bottom end than most tracks. Downbeat with female vocals, acoustic guitar.
11. *spoken female vocals, massive echo on the instruments, bongo. Lots of horns, nice groove. Deepak Chopra, of all people!
12. electronic tango. Midtempo with a beat and violin, but a LOT of electronic instrumentation.