Commercial

Album Review

This is the first album Los Amigos Invisibles have released without naming their country of origin — Venezuela — in the title. Whether this, along with the title they did choose, implies they're aiming at a more universal audience than just those inclined to check out a South American disco-funk band, remains to be seen. The simple fact is, just about anyone who hears this album will like something about it. Their songs are melodic, funky as hell, and are pretty much guaranteed to get dancefloors pumping. Their retro '70s and very early-'80s grooves may seem campy at first glance, but this is no winking exercise like Deee-Lite or the Scissor Sisters. Los Amigos Invisibles are serious about getting the party going and keeping it going. "Vivire Para Ti" should immediately be incorporated into the repertoire of any self-respecting cruise-ship dance band, and they even sing in English on "In Luv with U." This album falls somewhere between the minimalist funk of Prince's hardest tracks and the lush disco appropriations of Daft Punk's Discovery; "In Luv with U" could easily have come off that album, while "Mentiras" features razor-sharp guitars and synth lines that are straight from the Paisley Park playbook. This is a killer summer album; throw it on and watch your neighbors get drunk and dance embarrassingly.