Aterciopelados’s latest CD, Rio, has an infectious sound, catchy beat and calming effect. The funky, rhythmic songs lend themselves to swaying and feel like a light current — which explains the album’s title, Rio (in English, River).
Aterciopelados (in English, The Velvety Ones or The Velvets) formed in the early 1990s and has largely been the work of a partnership between Andrea Echeverri (the vocalist and guitarist) and Hector Buitrago (the bassist and arranger). Other band members have come and gone — the current lineup includes Urian Sarmiento (percussions and winds), Camilo Velasquez (guitar) and Mauricio Montenegro (drums). Rio is the group’s seventh album, and it is receiving widespread acclaim for its more mature sound.
The group, from Bogota, Colombia, finds obvious inspiration in Latino pop and traditional music. In the vein of Latino pop, the album’s title song sounds like Juanes — particularly, his song “A Dios le Pido.” Aterciopelados’ songs are less pop than Juanes’, but they incorporate the same type of steady, guitar-centric beat. Where Latino pop fails in offering substance, Aterciopelados succeeds. The band incorporates the folksy tradition of South American music, giving its music a more rich, complete feeling that is sophisticated in a very approachable way.
The instruments used in Rio’s tracks help to give the songs their depth. Toward the end of “Dia Paranormal” (in English, “Paranormal Day”), traditional and native-sounding pipes (which one expects to hear in the Latin American portion of a collection of global songs) blend smoothly with the funky pop sound of the rest of the song.
Overall, I’ve listened to the album several times, but I find myself continuously coming back to the second track, “Treboles” (in English, “Clovers”). Echeverri’s vocals and funky beat maintain a mellow very spacey sound. The easy-listening melody creates a sense of harmony — not only in the music, but also in the atmosphere where it’s played. “28,” another notable song, maintains a chill vibe. Guest rapper Goya adds an extra kick to the song’s overall calming effect. Goya adds a welcome variety to Aterciopelados’ melodies.
Never boring, Rio always keeps the listener guessing how the band will frame the next song. “Ataque de Risa” (in English, “Attack of Laughter”) brings the funk, relying mainly on a beat and vocals to create a melody. Echeverri’s daughter, Milagros, makes an appearance — while I tend to think it’s lame to include children on tracks, Milagros actually adds to the song’s joy (it doesn’t hurt that she sounds adorable). Following that, “Hijos de Tigre” (in English, “Children of the Tiger”) takes on a rock sound and combines it with Echeverri’s soulful voice. By contrast, the next trick “No Llores” (in English, “Don’t Cry”) takes on a light and joyful sound.
Aterciopelados have taken a clear political position in their most recent album. Cheverri and Buitrago pinpoint several political issues important to South America and create a unique musical frame to bolster awareness for these issues. For example, the song “Rio” promotes cleaner waterways — “The waters of the river come running, singing / They go through the city dreaming to be clean, to be clear,” sings Echeverri in Spanish. The band also deftly examines crucial immigration laws in “Bandera.” No matter how important or intense the issues become, however, the pair always remains positive, reinforced by its upbeat harmonies.
While talks of harmony and peace may sound corny, Aterciopelados gives a tranquil vibe of justice that’s hard not to absorb. For potential listeners, the band cites Jack Johnson and Ben Harper as musical influences on its MySpace page. The comparison is appropriate because of its mellow vibe, but as much as I adore Jack Johnson, Aterciopelados brings more funk than he could imagine.
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