Rayuela
Ides Of March, 2020
8/10
A Los Angeles outfit who bring Latin and South American influences to their very diverse formula, Cúnao also recruits African rhythms, Eastern European melodica and plenty of Western rock prowess in the engaging sophomore effort, Rayuela.
“Las Herramientas de Rayanya” starts the listen bare with a mandolin and violin player before building into an ambient, electronica friendly introduction, and “Lluvia” follows with a charming blend of strings, bells and plucked guitar as world folk ideas enter the equation.
With 16 tracks included, there’s a whole lot of diversity to explore, including the dual gender singing, playful Latin flavor of “No Me Alcanza”, as well as the dreamy, emotive “Amada Amiga”. “Fortunato”, the highlight on the first half, then settles into ballad territory with breezy melodies in the agile tune about an immigrant who leaves their home country to provide for their family.
Back half highlights include the bluesy guitar, organ and bass of “Que Que?”, while the carnivalesque “Quita La Mano” escalates into a snappy, playful frenzy of cultured layers that’s not short on grooves.
Late in the disc, “El Camion” flows with a timeless folk quality where vocals from Gabriel Ramirez-Ortiz illuminate the mood, and “A Media Tarde” exits the listen with a brief display of sparse piano beauty.
Even though Cúnao began just to play a birthday party in 2014, this sophomore album proves that their brand of world music is flourishing rapidly and only getting better with time.
Travels well with: Wesli- Rapadou Kreyol; Divahn- Shalhevet