Chico Mann- "Analogue Drift: Muy...Esniqui"

Chico Mann may not be a familiar name that conjures anything to mind but drop the name Antibalas and that may give you a direction to go in. Like that polyrhythmic band that guitarist Marcos Garcia plays with, Afrobeat is very much the backbone of his side project. "Analogue Drift...Muy Esniqui" takes Afrobeat and mixes it with 80's Freestyle Electro along with spiritual, celebratory, bilingual mantras. While it's solid party music, the album's theme is all about the rising and waking up of the masses. With lyrics that wax a "one world" mentality, the 808 drums and squelchy synths just make it that much more jubilant. Intro track "Harmonia/Harmony" has guitar licks reminiscent of Sheila E's "Glamorous Life" and delivers on the good feeling moving deeper with chants. Meanwhile, a sample repeats "Reporting for duty." and yes this music is a call to arms for humanity to fight. To fight by implementing harmony in our own lives for the benefit of all. Nowhere else does the music get more explosive than on the breakbeat of "All That Is Rising". The Freestyle influences are bountiful with cowbells, claps and drum snares. There's also a great Afro-Freestyle interpretation of Talking Heads "Once In a Lifetime". The LP has been out for a good year in limited release as Chico Mann puts the finishing touches on his sophomore LP "Trickster for Kids" and finishes work for the next Antibalas release. Go to Bandcamp and download a copy. http://chicomann.bandcamp.com/album/analog-drift-muy-esniqui