Pa’ Tu Cuerpa

Cimafunk's previous albums, Terapia (Therapy, 2017) and El Alimento (The Nourishment, 2021), present his music as something elemental and Pa’ Tu Cuerpa (For Your Body) is no different in this respect, seeing the Afro-Cuban funk musician probe new territories in pursuit of musical remedies. Grammy-nominated for his last album, on this one Cimafunk collaborates with some of the biggest names orbiting his scene: the legendary funk master George Clinton, bounce pioneer Big Freedia and New Orleans ambassador Trombone Shorty. Together, they produce a polished album of up-tempo grooves, relaxed vibes, highs and lows. Although the opening number ‘Cuchi Cuchi’ has a slightly cloying hook, there is a campy allure reminiscent of Prince at his funkiest; it's also present on ‘So Lucky’, the only other straight-up funk number here. The other tracks delve into smoother R&B sounds (‘Dime’), Latin grooves (‘Catalina’) and rap, with Big Freedia taking the floor on ‘Pretty.’ Some of this works, and some doesn't. I prefer the Latin numbers and more chilled-out tracks, while the funk and rap leaves me cold. There's some great stuff here, but the album as a whole is uneven.