Kchaba

Mixing Spanish with their native dialect, Piruchi Apo Botupa and Paloma Loribo Apo have joined forces again in the vocal duo Hijas del Sol — this time to pay tribute to Fela Kuti, the legendary Nigerian musician and revolutionary figure. As a tribute, Kchaba falls a bit flat, with only "Grito Libre" capturing Fela's spirit both lyrically and musically. But when taken outside of the nearly impossible set of expectations that are set up because the duo is paying homage to Fela's unique style, this album succeeds on many fronts. Hijas del Sol stretch themselves on this recording, combining their beautiful, rich, and full singing with electric guitars and bass, and the kind of upbeat, R&B-influenced rhythms that made Afro-beat so infectious. The expert production of Alberto Gambino helps to produce a sound that is fresh and catchy, while the songs themselves resonate with hope and longing, creating a total package that far surpasses Hijas del Sol's previous efforts.