Cumbias Internacionales

This reissue from Vampisoul is a star-studded album, headed up by the Argentinian couple Roberto Rey and Tita Duval. Duval was a Medellín, Colombia-based saxophonist and singer. She first made her name popularising tango in the 1940s, but later fell for the Colombian genre of cumbia, a love shared by her husband Rey; a match made in tropical heaven.

A concept album, Cumbias Internacionales sought to combine the US-influence of ‘peace and love’ sentiments with the Argentinian flavours Duval was famous for. Psychedelia makes an inevitable appearance in the wah-wah Varitone (electronically processed) sax and organ, among other tokens. There are also Afrobeat and funk passages. The opening track, ‘Oye Mi Cumbia’ perfectly sums up this fusion of styles: Afrobeat-infused horns bounce against jam-block, congas and ‘chakacha-chakacha’ cumbia güiro.

This album is a great demonstration of fun, classic cumbia in all its psychedelic, tropical glory, and offers plenty of insight into the progression of the genre since its release. A worthy reissue of a classic.