Argentina. For some their first reaction is some use of "Che!" followed by a sudden thirst for red wine. For Fidel Nadal it recalls 5 generations of Afro Argentine heritage which is known by few, lived by even fewer. A founding member and frontman for legendary Argentine rasta punk rockers, Todos Tus Muertos, and a history of collaborating with revered reggae masters around the globe, Fidel comes to us with his 16th solo album, Crucial Cuts.
The album opens with Puerta de Oro, featuring cumbia villera icon, Pablo Lescano (Damas Gratis). If you're a Nadal follower you'll recognize the track from his 2004 release, Puerta de Oro. Immediately immersed in a slow, trance-inducing rhythm, this instrumental track snakes its way through your speakers and flows down your ear drums. The sound is unique and Lescano's cumbia influence is just barely revealed enough to grasp as his keys are transformed behind a veil of reggae. The mood is set for Nadal's cool vibes to follow.
The tracks continue with Tus Recuerdos, featuring Jamaican trombone king Rico Rodriguez. Following is a more lyrically up-tempo Nadal in one of his more recognized songs, Emocionado, and into Motin Antibabilonia, featuring Alerta/I-Jah Bones. Nadal's tracks are generally a little easier going than your typical dancehall reggae, even to a borderline comical tone in La Puerta Negra. Yet his music manages to stand out with his vocal textures and latin influences interwined in the beats.
So where do we stand? Although Nadal stands in his own element, Crucial Cuts isn't rewriting the books on reggae which doesn't seem to be his goal anyway. Rather, immerse yourself in positive music and rebel! The album's definitely worth a listen with tracks worthy of making it onto your daily playlists. Ya no see it?
- will
Crucial Cuts - Track Listing:
1. Puerta De Oro - (featuring Pablo Lescano)
2. Tus Recuerdos - (featuring Rico Rodriguez)
3. Emocionado
4. Motin Antibabilonia - (featuring Alerta/I-Jah Bones)
5. Amenazados - (featuring I-Jah Bones)
6. Quiero Ser El Gantante
7. Luanda
8. La Puerta Negra
9. La Balanza
10.Te Amo
11.Nena Te Amo
12.Ikule-Leleet
13.Brown Skin Girl
14.Nobody Remix - (featuring Junior P/Mykal Rose)
15.Balanza Dub
16.Te Amo Dub
17.Combinacion - (featuring Shulgados Culpados)
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