Orquesta Akokán return with AMÉRICA!, a live-to-tape session recorded at Penrose Recorders with producer Gabriel Roth. Expanding on the mambo-driven sound that has defined the band, the album folds Latin soul, boogaloo and salsa into richly arranged performances rooted in Cuban musical traditions.
The record also introduces a new cast of vocalists including Mariam Elhajli and Carolina Oliveros of Combo Chimbita. Drawing on the emotional intensity of singers like Celia Cruz and La Lupe, their performances bring a more intimate focus to the music, exploring themes of upheaval, migration and personal loss without losing the band’s rhythmic force.
Pickup currently unavailable at Dreamhouse Records London
