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London and NYC Club and Concert Listings Album Review: Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada - El Nino Y El Sol (Aire Sol) Writer: Oliver Scott El Nino Y El Sol is the soundtrack to a fictitious movie about a young boy trying to reach the sun. It’s the creation of Martin Perna and Adrian Quesada who, with their respective groups Antibalas and Grupo Fantasma, have already established themselves as musical forces to be reckoned with; Antibalas having released three albums of searing afrofunk, Fantasma having released two albums of firin’ Latin fusion sounds. The album is short –only seven of the thirteen tracks, all of which are instrumentals, exceed the 3-minute mark – but deliciously sweet. It’s a surprisingly accomplished work, especially when taking account of the intriguingly haphazard way in which it came about. In the winter of 2003 Perna embarked upon a road trip from Brooklyn to Michoacan, Mexico, in a Mercedes Benz that ran on vegetable oil. He broke down in Austin, Texas, and stayed with Quesada for two weeks, during which time they came up with the idea for the album and started working on it. Some of the songs were based on the back of hip hop instrumentals whilst others were recorded entirely live. Equipment was minimal: an MPC 2000, flute, percussion, guitar, bass and keyboards. These songs formed the core of the album, to which were later added a few songs previously recorded by Perna and Quesada. Whilst each track stands on its own merits, there’s a rootsy consistency running throughout the project, each piece resounding with a warm, sultry confidence with mysterious undertones. The songs are so loaded with pathos that the mythical movie is almost assembles itself in the mind’s eye at the start of each song. There are several afrobeat-infected excursions - Justicia being towards the more horizontal end of the genre with Look Sharp and the wicked Divinorum (already released by Ocote Soul Sounds on Bobbito Garcia’s Fruitmeat label) taking it uptempo somewhat. Then there are the chilled instrumental hip hop sounds of Greñudos, Tamarindo, and La Lucha Sigue. There’s flute-laden funk in the form of Ora Como Rey, Mañana Como Güey... and Learn To Let Go. And the short, spacey interludes lubricate the journey from one gem to the next. Search this one down - vital accompaniment to your sun-bound journeys, whether imaginary or real. RELATED LINKS: Grupo Fantasma Ocote Soul Sounds Aire Sol Records Antibalas Martin Perna interview - on Know The Ledge Grupo Fantasma's Movimiento LP - review on Know The Ledge RELEASE DATE: September 2004 PIECE PUBLISHED: 8 August 2004 More Reviews To send us music for potential inclusion, email us at promos@knowtheledge.net EMAIL UPDATES! Do you want to receive Know The Ledge update emails? Click here to sign up!	::: RELATED LINKS ABB Records - Sound Providers' label Buy Sound Providers' An Evening With The Sound Providers album at Amazon UK (CD)  | US (CD) More Reviews