CD Review: Señor Coconut - 'Around the World' & 'El Baile Aleman'

Artist: Señor Coconut
Album: Around the World
Label: Nacional Records
Release Date: November 18th, 2008

Album: El Baile Aleman
Label: Nacional Records
Release Date: November 18th, 2008

Listen to "Around the World (Intro.)" from Señor Coconut's album "Around the World":

What's not so great is that we didn't review this before the holidays began but what is great is that we're telling you about it before New Years' Eve so that you can get these tunes to make your next party an incredible success.

"El Baile Aleman" is a very entertaining collection of interpretations of Kraftwerk songs done with Latin dancehall in mind. No longer a ballet mechanique but a very real, romantic, and fun songs arranged as sambas and mambos with layers and layers of horns, congas, bongos, and talking drums. The melodies are so familiar but have been made so alien and interesting by these Latin arrangements. When playing these at a couple parties we had guests pause in mid-conversation, listen with a faraway look and say "Is this 'Autobahn'?!"

Similarly, "Around the World" features Latin interpretations of songs by Daft Punk, Prince, Eurythmics, and many others. While there is a kitsch element to these "covers", these songs are so creatively and radically arranged, with an orchestral accompaniment of double bass, full horn section, and tons of drummers, that the experience is not that of listening to a cover band. For people already into lounge, getting these CDs is a no-brainer, but for those who are into Latin music or who are particular fans of Kraftwerk or Daft Punk or the other respective artists, Señor Coconut and his crew offer a refreshing take on these genres of music.