Deela - Mano Mano

Germany's underground Afrobeat jazz merchants Deela are about to release Mano Mano, an underground gem. Opening track Mountains & Stars contains traces of delta blues and UK electro, and as such the album starts as it means to go on, straddling genres and making something a little bit different. Along with Radio Deela, 7 Nights A Week is one the albums more dancefloor friendly numbers with echoing Spanish lyrics and a driving funky bass beat. The tribal rhythms of Absourdo and the politicised Reggae vibes of Power Gone continue the albums multi-genre exploration. Quierez Corazon, featuring the beautiful vocal talents of Miria Garcia Lora, is evidence of Deela's exploration of down tempo, chilled out tracks. For What You Are is an infectious, drum-driven Latin (late!) summer time nugget, and as with many tracks on the album, it remains engaging to the end. [Franck Martin]