Friday, May 8, 2015

CD Review: Iemanjo's 'Medicina'

Iemanjo
Medicina
Black Swan Sounds

Iemanjo, so-called after a Brazilian goddess of the sea, brings together a fusion of South American grooves, Afro-Latin rhythms, psychedelic cumbia, and everything in-between for a truly remarkable debut. The ten-track album is lush with earthy grooves, enchanting vocals, and amazing melodies that have developed out of Iemanjo's cultural upbringing in Berkeley and Seattle--two world music powerhouses. The slightly urbanized "Wintertime," is a bluesy, languid mix of vocals and sparkling electronica with heady bass. The rousing, "Ciencia Ancestral," is a dance-friendly tune touched by the hands of Brazilian beatmaker and producer, Adriano Magalhaes. The contemporary tune contains punchy horn sounds, lush percussion, and a driving beat indicative of South Pacific traditional music. "Reality" is a jazzy tune with urban elements and quirky percussive tones. Overall, Medicina is a good album with tracks that span the world music spectrum, but remain cohesive enough to delight electronica, South American, and Latin music fans. ~ Matthew Forss

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