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Gotan Project: Lunatico

About this release

Gotan Project has finally released their new album — long awaited by their fans, much less hyped than their second CD, but much more promising and satisfying. (Although I loved “Inspiracion…”, many of my fellow tango dancers did not, I fear). But you out there, fear not: this CD is a must. The official CD release in Germany is April 14th, but the album is already available on the iTunesMusicStore for € 9,99, or you can pre-order at Amazon DE or at Amazon US.

The third CD of Gotan Project (after “Revancha del Tango” and the DJ-set “Inspiracion - Espiracion”) is, in a way, a departure from Gotan’s last venture, but definitely more of a return to their old roots. The tracks on “Lunatico” are no remixes like you would find them on “Inspiracion - Espiracion”, but definite Gotan originals. Still capturing tango melancholy, still featuring slow tracks as well as tracks with danceable and trancelike beats.

The details

The CD starts out with some slower tracks, full of melancholy, but picks up its speed quite a bit on track 3 (“Diferente”, see the video), with a mesmerizing beat that soon gets mood by a bandoneon and a piano with a beautiful voice - and it doesn’t stop, ever. The sound of Diferente is so intriguing and capturing you will never want the song to stop… and it does not, its echo stays in your mind for a long time. A definite club track as well as a permanent spot on my iPod. To balance this hypnotic track “Celos (track 4)” is very much slow and chilly, and, in my eyes, the first track on this CD suitable for a very erotic and danceable tango; vibrating with sensuality, complexity and that unfulfilled yearning we all love about tango. So, here we are, dancing (at least in our minds) and we are not disappointed by the next track “Lunatico”: starting with D’Arenzioesque strings hammering a tango beat - the added electronic beat adds a drive that will make the song less a tango but more milonga - a driving beat, nervous, hectic, supported by its voice-overs. Energetic, but taxing on your condition as this some drives more and more into its beat. At the end your heart is pulsing, your mind is nervous, expecting more, unsure of its position — and “Mi Confesion” picks you right up, with a very intriguing beat, less danceable as a couple, but very much alone. The beat is syncopated, the bandoneon keeps your senses and emotions alert, a piano raps together with the voice - incredible. “Tango Cancion” drops the speed again, feels more like a caress, slow, sensual, erotic - but never boring. Very different and full of changes in mood, a sound that needs to be absorbed. And here it is: “La Viguela” a very energizing track - fast, rhythmic, danceable - bandoneon over electronic beat, and suddenly the addition of a robotic voice. Here Gotan really captures the fusion of tango sounds with electronic music - making no difference between the two. “Criminal” returns much more to tango sounds, very dramatic strings and bandoneon, very fast and disturbing. “Arrabal” reminds me very much of the last album “Inspiracion…” - almost a bit too much nostalgia, but so does “Domingo” remind me of the african/candombe roots of tango, I believe there were similar remixes on “Revancha…”. The last track, “Paris, Texas” makes you miss the album already, very much a song of saying goodbye. Again, very suitable for argentine tango.

This third album by Gotan Project is already on my personal hit list. It is very suitable for listening, many tracks are great for club dancing and having fun; whereas there are also a good selection of tracks I would like to hear at the next milongas. Danceable, new sounds yet familiar, and nothing like many neo-tango creations that are just too fast to enjoy and lack the deeper emotions you will find here on this new masterpiece by Gotan.

Elsewhere

Another great review of “Lunatico” can be found at popmatters.com, blog.azeyes.net, iamadonut, nanolog