El Alimento

Medical student turned padrino del funk, Cimafunk has been one of the hottest names in Cuban music since releasing his debut album in 2017. This follow-up sees him evolve his fusion of funk and Afro-Cuban music in audacious fashion. There are nods to funk forebears, with the stilted guitar lines of ‘Como Te Descargo’ recalling The Blackbyrds’ ‘Rock Creek Park’, while ‘Estoy Pa’ Eso’ is pure P-Funk, an influence which should be no surprise given George Clinton himself pops up on the album opener; and there are more modern references too, ‘Esto Es Cuba’ borrowing chords from 2Pac’s ‘California Love’, and ‘Caramelo’ aping Destiny’s Child. Given the producer is Jack Splash, whose credits include Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, John Legend and Solange Knowles, it is no accident that many of these songs sound like alternative pop hits.

What’s impressive is the way Cimafunk maintains his Cuban identity throughout. ‘Sal de Lo Malo’ oscillates between horn-led salsa and spiky R&B; ‘Rómpelo’ switches into a montuno right at the end, and guajira piano riffs are never far away. He even successfully tries his hand at reggaeton on ‘La Noche’ and enlists Chucho Valdés for the slow-burning soul number ‘Salvaje’. Funk has never sounded quite like this.