World music superstars, Ojos de Brujo (Wizard Eyes), are back with another creative collection of hybrid latino-funk tracks in the shape of Aocan, their fourth studio album in their decade-long career.
Influenced by a whole host of events, including frontwoman Marina Abads recent motherhood, the universally-acclaimed band claims to play jipjop flamenkillo. To you and I, thats hip-hop meets flamenco, but in their new release, Ojos de Brujo dip their toes into numerous other genres as they mix rap and turntablism with traditional form, breaking every rule as they go.
Aocan touches upon the eight-pieces more experimental nature. In Todos Mortales, the album opener, the band plays it safe with some summery Catalan Rumba layered with Marinas trademark vocals from the off. Throughout the album, inspiration has been taken from the Romany gypsies and their multiculturalism has been embraced.
Dramatic and rhythmic, with its Arabic-style opening, Tantas Flores, is one of the more individual songs on the album. Spanish guitars are layered over scratching, and switch between traditional vocals and forward-looking hip-hop.
Funkier-than Dnde Te Has Meti blends scratching with brass as Ojos de Brujo continue to think outside the box and gives them more appeal to fans of other genres, even as they continue to clutch onto their roots.
The catchy Aocan, on the first play, gets better with every listen, and more chances to appreciate the variation of this band from traditional flamenco/latino groups. Itll have you singing along whether you understand the language or not!
Ojos de Brujo are to play Camdens Roundhouse later this month for what is anticipated to be another knockout show. In 2007, the fusion funksters sold out the very same venue to play a show that received a 5-star rating from The Guardian, claiming classy musicianship was matched by the visual effectsgreat European music with a global outlook.
Tickets are on sale now for April 27th and are 18.