El Rebusque

Since La Mojarra Eléctrica disappeared on indefinite hiatus, the world has been calling out for a new group to combine the heat of salsa with the dignified melodies of Colombia's African-influenced Pacific Coast. Mama Julia y los Sonidos Ambulantes may just be that band. On this, their second album, they leap straight out of the traps with the surprisingly fiery ska-punk title-track until settling into more refined territory. Grooves built from marimba, funky guitars and pounding drums are made dynamic by a horn section and the group's often explosive vocals, which switch between syncopated singing and call-and-response, thus showing the dual influences of both salsa and Africa. When the group switch into tight, funky polyrhythms – as on album highlight ‘Distrito’ – they are unstoppable, building up a wall of Afro-Colombian rhythm. Unfortunately, they can be a bit heavy-handed at times: they ruin the beautiful simplicity of their marimba and guitar-led ballad ‘Gris’ with a wall of feedback, and the sheer over-enthusiasm of the singing can be too in-your-face at times. Despite such imperfections, this is still a potent reminder of Cali's multi-ethnic and searingly sweaty nightlife.