staff picks
Mambo Loco

Analog Africa steps outside of their usual releases of little-known African music and brings us the surprising Mambo Loco. Colombian born Anibal Velasquez started his band in the '60s out of a love for traditional Cuban music. He is one the main innovators of the Musica Tropical movement in Colombia, experimenting with different instruments and musical traditions to create a sound all his own. Fusing Puerto Rican and Cuban music with cumbia, merecumbe, Pompo, Rumba, and other elements all played with the then less popular accordion, he created a new and exciting style of Cuban Guaracha, later called the Guaracha de Anibal Velasquez. The tone of the album is set with the first track, “Carusseles.” You’re immediately compelled to dance with the rapid rhythms of Velasquez’s playful accordion and La Caja drums. It’s almost impossible not to get moving once you hear this album. Even shitty salsa dancers like me have to groove to this. Another impressive release by this German label.

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