Alegranza (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

While Pablo Díaz-Reixa — a.k.a. El Guincho — cites influences such as exotica/cocktail nation artists Martin Denny and Esquivel, the music on Alegranza evokes more unbridled joy, more crowd-generated sweat, and more smiles than its forbearers ever did. El Guincho’s music — a no-holds-barred celebration of Tropicalia, Latin, African and even Middle Eastern music — connects people in a physical way. With a vibe like a live drum circle, El Guincho relies on endlessly repetitive drum patterns performed with a variety of instruments (chimes, shakers, blocks, steel drums, to name but a few), and atop the circling rhythms he layers interlocking loops of vocals — sometimes chanting, sometimes singing — that coalesce into a gloriously buoyant and rich sound. Tracks like “Palmitos Park,” “Antillas” and the intensely hypnotic “Kalise” are some of the strongest examples, but there are plenty more; tracks like the whimsical “Polca Mazurca,” the undulant “Cuando Maravilla Fui,” and the dreamy "Buenos Matrimonios Ahí Fuera" vary the pace and texture. Adopted into the indie-pop world by various bands and festivals, El Guincho’s music makes “space-age cocktail” music for today’s hipster set.