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Nuevo Latino

Artist: Various Artists

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• Performers include: Jarabe De Palo, Los De Abajo, El Diez, Acida, Javier Alvarez, Aterciopelados, La Cabra Mecanica, Sergent Garcia.
  
• Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar.
  
• Illustrator: Nicola Heindl.
  
• Translator: Jorge Maldonado.
  
• It's true that there's been a modernist movement happening in Latin music, as there has in many other areas, and it's true that some of these artists have been at the forefront of it. What's particularly interesting is that several of them aren't from Latin America, such as Sergent Garcia, who's French, or Kad Achouri (only some of whose work is Latin), who's originally North African. That stands as a testament to the widespread appeal and power of Latin music. But many Latin-based artists who are looking into the future aren't featured here, such as three from Brazil -- Cibelle, Fernanda Porto, and Na‡ao Zumbi. While you can make a case for Brazil having its own, very separate identity, the inclusion of the American/Brazilian combo Mosquitos indicates the compilers are more inclusive and exclusive. Colombia's Los Aterciopelados are a shoo-in for a record like this, and they don't disappoint. Neither do Mexican combo Los de Abajo. The remix of their track, "El Indio," is a glorious piece of work, the outstanding cut on this album. Sadly, though, much of the work here fails to make an impression, like Kana's "Original" and Acida's "Presente," both of which come across as anonymous, as opposed to Sergent Garcia's jumping, heavily reggae-inflected "Mi Ultima Voluntad." The problem (or possibly the opportunity, depending on how you look at it) is that some much different music comes under the heading of Latin, so you can take it in any direction you choose -- Cuba, for example, is notable by its absence from this record, although there are plenty of forward-looking young bands on the island. Overall, it seems as if this disc could have been so much more than it really is. ~ Chris Nickson