Valses Para Perros

The Evo Morales era in Bolivia brought with it a re-evaluation of Indigenous cultural values, ranging across languages, architecture, fashion and music. Panpipe and charango sounds shifted from the margins and export/tourism section, and are now close to the centre. Artful mestizaje (mixing) has become cool, even among Bolivia’s white elite. This album is Ceviche Mixto’s debut, but the band – comprising 11 musicians – have been around since 2014, when Marcelo Gonzales and Daniel ‘Anki’ Gonzales launched the idea at a cultural centre in La Paz. Ten tracks cover multiple Latin American genres – including huayno, cumbia and taquirari – with the press release claiming the group have taken inspiration from iconic groups like Peru’s Fiesta Criolla and Cuba’s Buena Vista Social Club. ‘En un Verano Inmortal’ is a fascinating track, based on a poem by Jesús Urzagasti and built around choral voices, clarinet and a lolling pace that sometimes comes to a complete stop. ‘Marcha Camión’ alludes to a rhythm featured in Uruguayan murga parades but is listed as a tunantada: a Peruvian festive performance. It’s a slow-building song, with a heartbeat rhythm and a delicious climax. ‘Ese Animal’ is almost eight minutes of danceable, twangy chachachá. There is a beguiling bagginess in all the arrangements, which quietly honours the raucous, improvised quality of Bolivian carnival. This is a glorious mestizo experiment of an album, never too earnest, always edgy.