Pura Sangre

Israel Fernández is one of the biggest names in the younger generation of flamenco cantaores. As such, he stands between the perennial concern of the art form in the early part of this century: to focus on tradition or modernity. Fernández himself has talked of the need to make flamenco ‘more easily digestible’ and here his approach is to add some subtle electronics to the voice and guitar. For the most part, it's limited to ambient sounds and a little additional punch to the percussion. For the most part, it works. Both the thrilling ‘Al Tercer Mundo’ and the sombre ‘Soleá de Mi Casa’ have added colour without losing any emotional power. The songs are clearly personal, with vivid, contemporary lyrical content by Fernández himself. Where the electronics are absent, the performances still stand on their own feet, with sublime guitar work by regular collaborator Diego del Morao on most of Pura Sangre's tracks. Having been compared to the great Camarón de la Isla (who was also an innovator), Israel Fernández has the weight of expectation on his shoulders. On this evidence, he is carrying it with respect and dignity.