The Rough Guide to Peru Rare Groove

Those who come to this cheerful, varied collection of rare, overlooked or forgotten gems from various vaults with expectations of some unknown but fiery Afro-Peruvian grooves or maybe some strange Andean hybrid form will be disappointed. Compiler Pablo E Yglesias makes it clear in his articulate and informed notes that he doesn’t want to cash in on the chicha craze of recent years by mining such an obvious resource. He prefers to choose tracks that illustrate the eclectic, pan-Latin nature of influences apparent in popular Peruvian dance music since the 1950s, with a few diversions into North American and European styles including rock, soul, jazz, funk and disco.

While not all the material is quite essential, it's great to hear another version of ‘Lluvia’, also ‘discovered’ on the fine Analog Africa collection Diablos del Ritmo (2013). Much else is wonderful, like the feverishly potty brass arrangements on ‘Lobos Al Escape’, by Andres De Colbert y su Orquesta. And who could resist Pedro Miguel y sus Maracaibos’ strutting ‘Son Con Boogaloo’? Aside from that, the secret of this album's success lies in the sequencing, via the expert hands of such an accomplished DJ.