Latin
Ozomatli
Don’t Mess With the Dragon
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The multicultural musical tornado that is Ozomatli has often, in its 12-year career, seemed like a bunch of guys freestyling. This is a band that has patched together a decent career blending together rap, rock, salsa, jazz, funk and politically incendiary lyrics into a powerful but messy stew. So what’s notable about the nine-piece Los Angeles group’s latest album is that they’re playing music as a unit more than ever before.
The press materials bill this album as their “most cohesive, polished and joyous” work to date, and this is one of those rare times when the PR hype is exactly right.
Opener “Can’t Stop” is an ecstatic number that’s every bit as rousing as the band’s 1998 classic “Como Ves.” “After Party” is a chill, swoony number perfect for summer block parties that involve fire hydrants, happy puppies, boom boxes and grilled meats. Even protest song “La Temperatura” is the sound of a band that’s more delighted than defeated.
Ozomatli once implored listeners to “Embrace the Chaos.” Now they seem to understand that bringing the calm can be pretty effective too.