Pablo Dìaz-Reixa returns as El Guincho. Following his 2008 album, Alegranza, which garnered much international attention, pressure to move forward surely existed. For the most part, such a step is made. His vocal range and approach are limited, but he makes up for it musically: repetitive basslines, beats and samples and pitch in the higher range are combined with greater production confidence. This brings out a breadth and depth of emotion on Pop Negro. Now, alongside the festive tracks are more romantic and melancholic tunes, especially the last three, culminating in the lovely “Danza Invinto.” Not surprisingly, he’s taken his cues from albums produced in the late ’70s through the ’80s. (Read the track-by-track analysis on his website.)
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2010.
