Logozo -- Sidestepper

Track Listing

1. Logozo
2. Maine
3. Vijay Payoff Mix
4. Boops
5. Sugarcane Headspace
6. Logozo Alamo Mix

The title track on this CD, Logozo, makes me feel cultured just listening to it. Although at first it makes me think of people sitting in an uptown cafe drinking $6 cups of coffee, by the time it breaks in with the slight drum 'n' bass midway through that impression is entirely lost. The crossover of traditional Latin music fused with beat driven electronics is very original, and it's hard to stop yourself from hitting repeat and playing it nonstop all night. This is partially due to the disc's short length, at only 36 minutes, and the fact that it's extremely catchy and easy to listen to. Some tracks cling to the Latin influenced side of things, and others concentrate more on the contemporary electronic rhythms.

Richard Blair, the man behind Sidestepper, has produced and engineered with the formidable likes of Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, and Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan, to name a few. Since '95 he has completely immersed himself in Colombian culture, and this album is the outcome of his attempts to reformat Latin music for the new millennium. He has definitely succeeded with this, creating a tireless, highly infectious crossover with a broad, universal appeal. This is the first release from the fledgling label Apartment 22, and it's a promising debut.