GOTAN PROJECT – TANGO 3.0

GOTAN PROJECT – TANGO 3.0

French outfit Gotan Project have  had a rather successful “noughties” so far. Since forming in 2000 they have released two albums of carefully updated, tasteful tango and electronica. They can be heard all around the globe, cafes, movie soundtracks, commercials and bar mitzvahs (well, maybe). They are the hip soundtrack to most every occasion, their ability to take traditional tango and meld it with other more current sounds has bordered on the supernatural. The aptly titled Tango 3.0 is exactly that, an update on the already successful formulae. This time taking more form Neuvo Tango, as much as traditional tango, and expands album number two’s use of strings. It’s good to hear more upright bass and less bass synth-lines, but it is still hard to get around the sequencing at times – that cool electronica feel so beloved of cafes, is still at odds with the red-blooded passion of the tango. Panamerica, for instance, stands out with its greater use of organic instrumentation – acoustic guitar, bandoneon, piano – making for a stronger, moodier and more emotive track. They certainly know how to play on popular culture, as the single La Gloria uses a sample from the legendary football announcer Victor Hugo Morales and his famous cry of “Gooooaaaallllll”. Commercially, there is little doubt Gotan Project have kicked another one.

*** 1/2

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