Tags: Latin Funk

Review: Dan Tyler and Nick The Record's third installment in the Mr Bongo Edits series brings a bold twist to Cuban classics with three tracks that are equal parts cosmic and dancefloor-ready. On the A-side, Tyler extends two Juan Pablo Torres tracks from his reissued 1978 'Algo Nuevo' and 1977's 'Super Son.' First, Tyler reimagines 'Cacao,' a standout track from Torres' LP, giving it room to breathe and intensifying the percussive climax with swirling synths and spacey dub effects. It's a track that thrives on a big system, building tension as it goes, and works wonders in the right environmentijust ask anyone who caught it at La Paloma in Barcelona. Next, Tyler dials into 'Pastel En Descarga,' turning the Latin-funk fusion into a punchy, trippy dub with delay and drama, keeping the track's energy while taking it further into spacey, cosmic territory. On the flip, Nick The Record tackles Grupo Los Yoyi's 1977 'Paco La Calle,' taking a 2009 edit and expanding it into a longer, more hypnotic piece. The percussion pushes and pulls as the psychedelic synths swirl, creating a dynamic and ever-building groove. The 2025 version is elevated with new synth lines courtesy of Tyler, deepening the track's psychedelic richness. A cosmic whirlwind of reworks that bridges the gap between '70s Cuban innovation and modern dancefloor sensibilities.

Review: Cheeba's Latin brothers are back with yet another Havanan shuffle, extensively vacationing in Cuba to soak in very best of the nation's ripest stylistic amassments. Taking cues from cut and paste funk to Latin boogaloo, 'Cuban Shuffle' and 'Pablo's Theme' urge us formerly to "keep it going, now" before latterly dropping us into a fuzz-scat vat of hazy brass and stomping, found percussion. Most notably, the A-side's vinyl scratches sate a pruritic itch, and a careful dosage of reverb marks out a roomy but expansive atmosphere, one difficult to recreate lest you actually were there in 1970s Cuba.

Review: The electrifying return of El Combo Batanga. The Afro-Cuban band and Ubiquity Records favourites descend upon us once more in a sallying storm of Isthmian lightning, bridging the spirit of classic Fania and Tico Records releases, and whipping them back around and through gales of Latin funk, son, timba and boogaloo. "Batanga" refers to the traditional Cuban instrument heard throughout their records, if you listen closely: new A cut 'La Cuota' brings an urgent, hyperbolic funk, while 'Darling' contrasts with nixie moods, a heart-burning Latin soul lament.

Review: Mr Bongo look back to the damn fine Latin funk and rock-infused soul sounds of Coke's 197 self-titled opus for their next well-chosen reissue project here. It is their only album, sadly, but is a brilliant mix of Miami Latin-funk, psychedelic garage rock and gritty soul sung mainly in English. It blends bright funk drumming, flavourful organs and zesty horn with Paul Garcia (guitar), Ariel Hernandez (bass), Ruben Perez (drums), Jose Rubio (keys) and Peter Fernandez (vocals) all produced by Mato. The record was popular in Miami but faded due to limited promotion and a Coca-Cola trademark dispute but was later rediscovered by collectors, with standout tracks like 'Na Na,' 'Got to Touch Your Face' and 'Te Amo Mas' all became staples of Latin sets.

Review: This is a real lost South American Latin Jazz-Funk treasure from Argentina taken from some original 1974 recordings led by Carlos Franzetti. Known for his late 70s jazz-fusion album Graffiti, Franzetti recorded Dedos after returning to Argentina from Mexico where he was musical director at Fermata International. His friend Mochin Marafiotti, A&R at Music Hall, proposed the Latin Jazz project and the session featured Ruben Rada, Ricardo Lew, Emilio Valle, Osvaldo Lopez and Franzetti himself. Though initially overlooked, Dedos and Doce y Diez now receive a long-overdue reissue as they remain high on energy and deeply jazz gems with a Latin twist.

Review: Madrid-based collective Danzon El Gato channel the city's restless creative energy into a vivid fusion of jazz, funk and roots music. Formed within Madrid's experimental scene, the group revolves around Javier Adan and Santiago Rapallo, longtime collaborators whose past projects range from jazz fusion to avant-garde film scores. This latest release sees them sculpt a kaleidoscopic sound, pulling from North African, Latin American and Mediterranean traditions while staying locked into the groove with a rhythm section indebted to 70s library music and golden-era hip-hop. Across the record, they explore an array of moods and textures. 'Ronda' pairs intricate guitar lines with a propulsive swing, while 'La lucha'ifeaturing Marina y su Melaoileans into percussive Latin jazz. 'Twangy Morocco' lives up to its name, weaving surf-rock guitar into an East-meets-West instrumental, whereas 'Chapoteo' ripples with aquatic, freeform interplay. 'Amambay' and 'Fuimos invencibles' showcase their knack for evocative storytelling through sound, shifting effortlessly between cinematic tension and unbridled release. Danzon El Gato craft music that reflects Madrid itselfidense with influences, rich in movement and ambiguousiin the best way. Their sound captures a city in flux, where past and present collide to create something unmistakably fresh.