Ondotropica – Ondotropica

This double LP showcases the vitality and diversity of the Colombian music scene, bringing together a total of 42 musicians to merge a mixture of modern and classical tropical genres. Overseen by Mario Galeano of Frente Cumbiero, the record draws upon cumbia, porro and other traditional genres, and cross-breeds them with hip-hop, dub and funk. It’s a blend that throws up some pretty bizarre results, including a mambo cover of Black Sabbath’s Iron Man that strays into novelty territory.

Galeano’s touch is more assured and distinctive when the record’s contemporary influences are allowed to guide the pieces - as on Suena, on which Chilean MC Ana Tijoux raps laconically over rolling cumbia rhythms, and Rap Maya, which features beatboxer El Chongo. Perhaps inevitably, Ondatropica’s sprawling variety undermines the coherence of the project somewhat; but for anyone interested in contemporary Colombian music, it’s an impressively in-depth survey that joins some unexpected dots between genres. [Sam Wiseman]