Kilo

For anyone that still thinks Cuban music is all about the 1950's and big bands, or the misty-eyed recollections of the amazing Buena Vista Social Club think again. Orishas are 3 young guys that, if they weren't such great singers, could be in a boy band! They love their Cuban musical roots and revere the singers of the past, but they have found a way to use these influences within a totally contemporary sound. Wrapping hip-hop beats with swathes of funk and some of the purest Latin grooves they cap it all off with their soaring vocals and samba rhythms. Universal. 2005.

Since its 1999 breakthrough, the Cuban rap trio Orishas has been hailed as one of Latin hip-hop's true saviors. But the group's intoxicating third album, El Kilo, is about more than DJ scratches and looped samples. In fact, that's not at all what it's about. The group eschews studio tricks for live instrumentation on El Kilo, and it makes for a heady, well-rounded effort. El Kilo crackles with passion and urgency from beginning to end, and the album transforms Orishas into a wholly unclassifiable, strikingly original music machine. Blaring horns highlight album opener "Naci Orishas," and the pensive title track rides a simmering, soulful groove. Rappers Yotuel and Ruzzo play wonderfully off each other, and vocalist Roldan anchors every song with his playful vibe. A kitchen sink mix of soul, reggae, bossa nova and salsa inform Orishas' sound. There's even an appearance by Cuban rapper Pitbull on the raucous closing track, "Quien Te Dijo." The album's lyrical and musical poetry, however, belongs wholly to Cuba's three hip-hop heroes. --Joey Guerra