Som Riu

This is the third album by an octet from the Barcelona region. They have risen, in half a dozen years, from the ranks of young musicians jamming around the Barrio Gotico to top-class students of the school of Manu Chao, La Pegatina and La Troba Kung-Fú. This means minor-key harmony vocals, sing-along fiesta choruses, bouncy rhythms mixing rock, salsa and (rather too much) reggae, and a nice interplay of brass, guitars and drums, all rendered with an agreeable pop energy.

Thoroughly professional, it is only sporadically memorable, like so much of the output of similar material from the army of young soundalikes. The best track is a ballad called ‘No T’Adormis’ (Don’t Fall Asleep); though your attention may wander occasionally, soporific this album most certainly isn’t.