Aurelio - 'Laru Beya'

The problem with Laru Beya is that it goes straight to your hips. The rhythmic and melodic splendor of this record is almost gratuitous, as though Aurelio himself was daring you to sit still while you listened. And if that bet really took place? You'd lose.

The music of the Garifuna people (a cultural group descended from shipwrecked African slaves who intermarried with Native Carib and Arawak people) only became a regular part of the world music vernacular in 1997, when albums by Andy Palacio, Umalali (The Garifuna Women's Project), and Aurelio Martinez all landed themselves on the international airwaves. One has to wonder how we lived without it for so long.

Garifuna Soul, Aurelio's first album, was stirring and wonderfully fresh. Laru Beya is even better. It's a shining example of how magnificent fusion music can be: traditional wailing vocals over the quietly clacking claves that drive the rhythm, intermingling with jangly island-style horns and fuzzy vintage guitar distortion... be still my heart.

Highlights? Try Tracks 1 through 12. Seriously, though... The opener, "Lubara Wanwa," is one of those songs that, when listened to on headphones, literally feels like it's dancing through your head, with the quiet percussive elements traipsing from one ear to another while an acoustic guitar picks a plaintive melody and electric guitars hum and buzz in the background. Golden voice Youssou N'Dour, who considers Aurelio a protege, guests on the track, and many others on the CD.

The title track, "Laru Beya," is a spanky little beach number (it actually translates to "On The Beach" in Garifuna), "Wibayuwa" features some elegant soft rapping, "Yurumei" is a high-energy, deeply Caribbean dance number, and "Nuwaruguma" pulses and swells with a vintage sensibility and an all-too-current sense of wistfulness and longing. I'm in love, and I'd have to wonder about the soul of anyone who could listen to this album and feel differently.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.