ONDATROPICA Vinyl & CDs

Review: Back in 2012, Will "Quantic" Holland joined forces with Colombian musician Mario Galeano to form Ondatropica. The eponymous debut album that followed was quietly impressive, fusing traditional South American styles - cumbia, champeta etc. - with elements of hip-hop and funk, with the assistance of musicians from the vibrant Colombian scene. For this belated follow-up, the duo has tweaked the formula slightly, incorporating more from the Caribbean and African influences that have seeped into the music made around Bogota and Old Providence Island. While the palette of influences made be broader, the resultant music is every bit as enjoyable and entertaining as that found on its predecessor.

Review: Conceived by Colombian musician Mario Galeano and English producer Will Holland, (better known as Quantic), Ondatropica brings together Colombian legends and young musicians alike and mixes up Columbian styles such as cumbia and champeta with beatboxing, hip-hop and funk. Although the project is undeniably audacious, the results are hugely impressive, with classical styles going hand in hand with all manner of analogue squiggles and experimental dub. Highlights are too numerous to mention, but include the dubbed out weirdness and live instrumentation of "Punkero Sonidero" and the live beatboxing and copious effect mangling on "3 Reyes De La Terepia". The CD version also comes with a 52 page booklet telling the fascinating story behind the project.