Expansions

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band are a German steel pan band that have earned a reputation for giving a Trinidad and Tobago sound makeover to funk and hip-hop classics. Back with album three, the band show little sign of mending the mould they broke back with their first release in 2007.

On Expansions, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band deliver 12 tracks of covers and originals. Well, ‘covers’ is unfair. The songs are full steel pan reimaginings of classics and rarities. With bold brass arrangements, driving basslines, hip-shaking rhythms, dashes of reggae and feverishly funky licks, the result is an intriguing and varied collection of tracks that flow seamlessly as an album. A full-on genre assault, Expansions tackles tunes by Grace Jones, Ike Turner, Slum Village, Timbaland, Jay-Z, plus more. Standouts come in the form of Erykah Badu’s ‘The Healer’ and Sylvester’s ‘I Need Somebody to Love Tonight’. Originals ‘Tough Victory’ and ‘Squaring Circles’ are equally top grooves that demand attention. With every listen, this album seeps further into your soul. Uplifting and entertaining, it is a fine piece of work.