What exactly is Ricardo Villalobos and Luciano's love affair with Jorge Gonzalez all about? Is it the fact that Gonzalez headed up one of South America's biggest synth pop bands of the '80s and now loves minimal techno? It's a great story, sure, but based on Los Updates—Gonzalez's main musical vehicle these days—debut album for Cadenza, it doesn't sound all that great in practice. And, based on Los Update's live show in London last year, the only thing keeping the massive crowd around was the promise of an epic set from Villalobos after Gonzalez and his wife turned off their laptops and left the stage.
Gonzalez isn't exactly the problem on Ricardo's latest for Sei Es Drum, though. (But he certainly doesn't help.) Sounding like a Spanish version of the B-52's Fred Schneider, Gonzalez speak-sings his way through "Baile," while Villalobos keeps things relatively minimal for his unlikely muse, providing a bouncy bassline and synth-pop-gone-minimal-techno beat for him to do his thing over. It's one of Ricardo's safest tracks ever, and it certainly doesn't benefit from Gonzalez's vamping.
Ricardo is a crafty one, though, loading up the B-side with one of Reboot's most epic productions yet. Frank Heinrich isn't what you would call a restrained producer by any means, but "Caminando" features a stunning, folk vocal, chanting children and a groove that doesn't bother quitting for even a moment all adding up to one of his self-consciously biggest moments yet. The elements are ridiculously cliché at this point, but the results are also undeniable. It should be coming soon to the closing of a party near you very soon. (If it hasn't been there already.)
Published /
Wed, 01 Jul 2009
Buy Various Artists - Baile / Caminando at
Tracklist: Various Artists - Baile / Caminando
 A RV feat. Los Updates - Baile
B Reboot - Caminando | 
