Meme Magazine

Ocote Soul Sounds – Taurus (ESL)

What They Say:
Co-led by Adrian Quesada, of Grammy-winning Latin ensemble Grupo Fantasma, and Martín Perna, of Antibalas (the famed afrobeat orchestra associated with the acclaimed Broadway musical Fela), Ocote Soul Sounds return this summer with their fourth studio album for ESL Music, Taurus.

Taurus sees the cosmic producers honing their signature psychedelic, analog funk infused, Afro-Cuban sound and crafting an album bigger than any of their previous efforts. That’s not to say it’s a massive departure from their back catalogue, but this time, the vibrations are stronger, more muscular and confident. Marking their first time working with an outside producer, Eric Hilton of Thievery Corporation, Ocote Soul Sounds maintains their cosmic ambiance while building on the pan-Latino rhythms that have become favorites of dance freaks and headphone space cadets alike.

Recorded during marathon sessions in Austin, TX and Washington, DC over the course of a year, the twelve songs on Taurus move like anthems, with each composition by Perna and Quesada sounding like a declaration of confidence in the bands evolution.

What We Say:
This is an album with a very definite feel and mood – the Latin and African beats are paced and deliberate (clearly influenced by the Thievery Corporation production) with the vocal contributions (from label-mates Natalia Clavier, Sitali, Verny Varela and Chico Mann) having to share centre stage with them. None of the tracks really jump out to bite you, which could, in some cases, all add up to a rather dreary record; luckily it is that overall purposeful vibe that gives the LP its appeal – this is a record for late nights and early mornings, but for those who prefer their bass beats with a Latin and/or afrobeat edge. Sometimes that edge is barely evident, and perhaps Adrian and Martín could have taken some more risks in places (this is their fourth LP after all), but overall it is a pleasing twist on the usual ESL output. ’Taurus’ is available now on ESL Music, and you can download two tracks from the album for free using the links below.

Listen / Buy Here:
> iTunes
> Amazon

Listen to ‘Primavera’ by Ocote Soul Sounds (right click here to download)

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Listen to ‘Pirata’ by Ocote Soul Sounds (right click here to download)

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 11th, 2011 at 6:38 pm. It is filed under Reviews and tagged with ESL, Ocote Soul Sounds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.