Zuba @ The Arches

Although Das Contras jump anxiously between light reggae, funk and Hispanic rhythms, they do have a distinctive style, due to their saxophone and trumpet. Competent brass solos float up from mid-paced tunes, fluttering politely before disappearing behind the chorus. Sher Watson's voice has a fine quiver, and their grooves are inoffensive enough - even if the ghost of Sting does hover. They just don't seem to inhabit their songs. If Zuba get the better response, it may be because they use bagpipes in the finale. Their fusion of shimmering African guitar and stolid bass marks them out as an experiment in combining the liveliness of folk with the power of rock. Their sound is dull and muted - vocal harmonies are lost and even Jerry Boweh's showmanship can't lift their set out of the mundane. Both Das Contras and Zuba are pursuing interesting directions, but their disparate inspirations are not yet cohering. [Margaret Kirk]