ALL GOOD THINGS - PACHA MASSIVE
Pop this bilingual Bronx duo’s debut CD into your computer, and the iTunes genre column comes up “Unclassifiable.” That works just fine for the aptly titled “All Good Things,” which explores the spaces where electronic, dancehall (hip-hop/R&B-tinged reggae) and Latin rhythms intersect in surprising ways. “La Verdolaga” starts with a drum-and-bass melody, adds emotional impact with Colombian singer Lucia Pulido’s wistfully plaintive voice, then throws in an English rap verse by Flex Nug. Dance detours into dub on instrumental “Drive”; the funkily percussive “Al Ritmo de Pacha” evokes Fela Kuti changing planes in the Dominican Republic. Sexy vocals abound, framed by understated flourishes — a B3 organ here, a sitar there — that make Latin indie label Nacional’s first U.S. signing a continuous reward for the ears. Billboard
