Orishas: A Lo Cubano : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Until now, attempts to translate the quirks of hip-hop into the Spanish vernacular have been mostly unsuccessful, because of the lack of a coherent concept. Orishas, a collective of Cuban expatriates currently based in France, have finally found one: The four members rap, sure, but deep inside they're still salseros with a serious weakness for the sinuous spice of son montuno piano lines, the comforting darkness of Yoruba religion and the snappy rhymes to be found within the labyrinth of the Castilian language. And they are lucky enough to anchor their grooves to the conga patterns of guest star Miguel Anga D¡az, the most ferocious of Cuba's newest generation of percussionists. Fortunately, Orishas go beyond clever concepts. The solemn, emotionally charged "Madre" and the smoky "Atrevido" transcend the stylistic fusion at hand with a remarkable sincerity of purpose. (RS 862)

ERNESTO LECHNER