Born in the Dominican Republic as Angélica Polanco, and presently a citizen of France, La Polanpro voices life-lesson urgency into “Chiquitita,” a song also fueled by…
Transatlantic Caribbean
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
Classy Malagasy
Fusing traditional sounds from the northern and southern halves of Madagascar, “Mampamangy,” by the quartet Loko Gasy, is a superb reminder of how good music…
All That Brazilian Jazz
Rio de Janeiro-born pianist Antonio Adolfo never misses that perfect meeting point between jazz and Brazilian roots with “Vai Passar,” his take on a tune…
Far Beyond Acceptable
A classic dub reggae sound is achieved by France’s PierreFeu with his track ”Accepter le dub.” A heavy bassline, mystical vibes, properly placed effects and…
If You’ve Got the Guts
A Swede who resides in Thailand, reggae artist Mr. Hammer nails the message on “The Songs of Courage,” urging the listener to have the proper…
Extra Tangy
He’s from Germany, but Alex Zind also brings flavors from Argentina, France, and the Caribbean to “Tango de L’Amour,” a piece of tango fusion that,…
Liberating Reggae
French producer Mystic Firm enlists veteran Jamaican artist Anthony B to provide commanding lead vocals on “Reggae Free My Mind,” which goes a long way…
Dance and Learn
Combining Colombian and Brazilian inflections with a broader Latin feel, “Que Nada” by La Capi is supreme dance music that also contains a lyrical lesson…
A Very Nice Day
Sounding very much like the kind of Afropop that first attracted listeners outside of Africa, “One Day” by The Netherlands’ Lotte Walda is a melodic…
As Real as the Real Deal Gets
He’s based in France, but as both the title and feel of “Mali” indicate, Niarela Papou’s mind is on his homeland. The track is pure…