The two musicians are masters at weaving unrelated international musical styles. Day Off EP 1 begins with a collage of turntablism, piano and electronics. It is followed by electronic dub reggae. Things take a turn with track three, "Women of the City," which begins with funky beats that transform into Indian tabla and frenzied Bhangra drumming. The EP ends with rapping in Spanish, seductive belly dance drums, a dose of funk, and Afro-Cuban grooves.
Day Off EP 2 is even better. The opening track "Lyadecita," combines global electronica with jazz, Cuban son, and a variety of vocals and sound effects. This is followed by the intricate ambiance of Llorona, which has Mexican and rock influences.
"Osain" sounds like a cinematic trip throughout the African Diaspora in the Americas. Sosa and Landau mix African American singing with African vocals, Brazilian drumming, American jazz piano, and Cuban influences.
"Report Weather" is a play with words that seems to be inspired by the work of the great keyboardist Joe Zawinul, the founder of Weather Report. It features excellent synthesizer and echoing electric piano work.
These recordings are available only as digital downloads: Day Off EP 1 and Day Off EP 2
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
