Los Amigos Invisibles deliver Latin funky fun
■ Band s follow-up album
mixes energy with emotion
Arepa 3000
Los Amigos Invisibles. Universal Music
Pub.
★★★☆☆
By Josh Ryneal
Oregon Daily Emerald
The traditional Latin rhythms,
instruments and vocals of Cuban
artists such as those on the album
“Buena Vista Social Club” and the
Afro-Cuban All Stars’ “A Toda
Cuba Le Gusta” were big hits in the
States when these albums were re
leased in 1997 and 1999, respec
tively. Copies flew off the shelves
into the hands of record buyers
who had never heard, much less
bought, a world music album be
fore, while critics praised the res
urrection of a forgotten genre.
Despite the fact that the lyrics
were all in Spanish, people fell in
love with the warmth and emotion
of the music even though the
words, to some, were indecipher
able.
Los Amigos Invisibles attempt to
tap the same audience that bought
the above two albums with their
new CD, “Arepa 3000.” Released
on David Byrne’s world-music Lu
aka Bop label, “Arepa 3000” fea
tures Spanish lyrics and Latin
rhythms, but that’s where the obvi
ous similarities end.
Calling themselves a “dance
band,” Los Amigos Invisibles use
live instruments combined with
big-beat house production to create
a salsa-infused blend of traditional
music and sweaty disco funk.
Thumping bass and electronic ef
fects mixed with congas, Latin gui
tar and keyboards make a pleasing
booty-shaking stew equally at
home on your discman or at your
party.
“Arepa 3000” spans many gen
res, from the Santana-flavored
“Cuchi-Cuchi” to the joyous club
atmosphere of “Amor” (a cover of
a 1980 Latin dance hit) to the new
wave “El Barro,” yet never loses
the Latin foundations that made
traditional Cuban albums so popu
lar.
“Amor,” a should-be single pro
pelled by a bass-heavy beat and in
fectious synth, will blow up any
dance floor, while oddities such as
“Pipi," with its electric groan,
handclaps and upbeat organ, still
retain their flavor and charm after
repeated listening.
The Amigos’ last album, “The
New Sound of the Venezuelan
Gozadera,” was a hipster retro
lounge affair, and some songs on
“Arepa 3000” share this sensibili
ty despite its funky new direction.
“Si Estuverias Aqui” is an ethereal
slow jam whose airy vocals and in
strumentation are grounded only
by an Afro-Cuban backbeat, and
“Domingo Echao” sounds like an
Afro-Cuban All Star track updated
with a dreamy 1960s “dah dah
dah” chorus.
For the most part, the tracks on
“Arepa 3000” have a down-and
dirty feel that lives up to the
“dance” in “dance band.” Things
get a little lewd with “Masturba
tion Session,” a testament to the
loneliness of a touring band in
which the chorus is the title re
peated over and over rather bewil
deringly. with weird samples and sexy
All in all, "Arepa 3000” is rhythms that will compel you to
straight Latin-funk fun complete shake your hips.
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