Okan Project

Israeli keyboardist Omer Kringel took his recording equipment on the road for five weeks, from Spain to South America, Angola and the US, then back home, capturing multiple artist contributions en route. This debut album features all-original works, sometimes penned as collaborations, its dominant style arriving from Latin music, with most songs sung in Spanish. The line-up sprawls across brass, reeds, guitars, bass, drums, percussion, oud, ney, violin, bansuri, kemenche and marimba, featuring several vocalists.

The tracks are mainly glitzy and bombastic jazz-pop, with bloated cabaret salsa infusions, tightly negotiated, but frequently in poor taste. Massed elements are churned around in an overcooked and overcrowded mix. ‘Freedom’ sounds like pomp-rock trio Rush in the Caribbean, but the prime number is ‘Distancias no Separan’, a flamenco styling with acoustic guitar, palmas, a spirited duo vocal performance, and some welcome space hanging between the players. It's a shame to be negative about such an ambitious project, but this glossy showbiz realisation will doubtless make most Songlines readers feel slightly queasy.