Fabiola

Da Lata first appeared on our horizon in the mid-90s when their largely Brazilian-scented grooves found great favour with DJ Gilles Peterson. A brace of LPs for Chris Blackwell’s Palm Pictures label followed, before things fell silent. Until now, that is. The pair – Chris Franck and Patrick Forge – have regrouped and Fabiola is their first long-player in a decade.

And it could well be their best yet: it’s a confident, sure-footed set that folds plenty of flavours into the mix. There’s a discernible nod towards Africa, particularly on the Afrobeat groove of ‘NYJ’, that’s further illuminated by Diabel Cissokho’s flickering kora. The vibe is tight, tough and funky throughout, but still leaves plenty of wriggle-room for individual flair and expression – as in the futuristic dub of ‘Places We Go’, in which Dennis Rollins’ trombone boldly goes where no trombone has gone before. Elsewhere, ‘Unknown’ finds Cape Verdean songbird Mayra Andrade singing in English, while DJ and poet Rich Medina recalls Michael Franti of Spearhead on ‘Monkeys and Anvils’. The only unwelcome element is the misplaced rock guitar that encroaches onto the closing track. It’s pretty much the only blemish on what’s otherwise an absorbing return. We can forgive them the ten-year wait if this is how they apologise for their absence.