Tango with a modern twist
La Revancha del Tango was the debut album from the Gotan Project. Released in 2001, it’s a fusion of traditional tango music with a very modern sound that introduces hypnotic dance beats, electronic music influences and modern effects, creating something rather unique.
Immerse yourself in these alluring tangos
The album itself consists of 10 tracks, most of which are written by a combination of Philippe Cohen Solal, Christoph H Müller, Eduardo Makaroff and Avelino Flores i.e. the Gotan Project; except for Chunga’s Revenge which is a Frank Zappa track, Last Tango in Paris which was written by Gato Barbieri (an Argentinian Jazz Saxophonist who rose to fame in the 1960s and 70s) and Velvo Al Sur by Astor Piazzolla (legendary Tango composer).
The hypnotic styles are prevalent as soon as you start the album playing. The strong dance-inspired drum beats underpin everything on this album, with each song taking you in a similar direction. That’s not to say the album is lacking in variety – I think it’s actually very cohesive and all the songs sit beautifully together.
Did you know?
La Revancha del Tango roughly translates as The Revenge of the Tango?
Similar to the The Flying Club Cup by Beirut, much of the music in La Revancha del Tango takes its time to allow the themes to develop. There’s no hurry to get to a radio-friendly chorus – so sit back and enjoy the musicianship and creative imagination of these composers.
Life on the Edge
The entire mood of this album definitely has a Parisian feel, but rather than a relaxing stroll by the Seine, I picture more of a film idea, where the main heroes of the film are on the edge. There’s a passionate chaos ensuing but quite where we take the storyline, is up to us as the listener.
It might be that the heavy improvised jazz theme of Triptico or the dissonant nature of La Del Ruso are the ideas that stick in your mind and are what guide your imagination.
Or perhaps, like me, Santa Maria and Una Música Brutal are the stand out tracks. Once again, they combine the heavy dance-type drumming and devilishly hypnotic bass lines with the instrumentation and feel of a traditional tango. Una Música Brutal is also one of the few tracks that includes a prominent lead vocal line – most tracks are instrumental or with just a few lyrics added throughout.
Concluding an exploratory tango music album with some Astor Piazzolla is almost certainly a good idea, he was himself a pioneer of the genre after all. It hints at bringing the album back to a more traditional finish, but like everything else on this album, there are a few surprises in there to keep it fresh and intriguing.
So does it work?
That question can only be answered by each of us individually. If you’re looking for traditional and authentic tango music, then you’re going to be disappointed. But if you want to hear something different, tango taken in a new direction, or even looking at it from the other vantage point of dance music heading in a new direction, then you’re in the right place!
I think La Revancha del Tango is a great album, but more importantly, what do you think? Tell us your thoughts over on our Facebook page...
Dave
The Bustling Tram Society
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