Stemming from Seattle; the heart of Washington state, REPOSADO is making a splash with their debut album, Tequilafunk! Consisting of a large, diverse, cast 10 to 15 member ensemble, the band confidently takes a leap forward with its bold mix of Latin, Afrobeat, funk, soul, RnB and Blues elements to create a delicious music-salad.
The opening fanfare on Listen is a great tone setter for the journey ahead calling for action. My favorite track, Original kicks us out our seats and perpetuates hype with its use of clicky percussion, horn blops, and contagious Spanish vocals. It all comes to head until a surprise break disrupts the flow, but quickly resolves back to ride out into the sunset. The ballad Rich Man switches gears to a soft and slow sound. Accompanied by singing guitar moans, gentle keys, and vocals softly exclaiming the offer of love, the mood is quite sensual. The second third of the song switches paces and goes into a groove reminiscent of Who’s That Lady? by The Eisley Brothers. And the last bit calls for pure unconditional love and wraps up with a blazing, romantic, guitar solo.
We Are the People calls the service to be actively apart of their ceremony. As the preacher’s monologue calls for creative warriors, the audience gets more involved (via response vocals, horn chants, and contagious jams from the kingdom of James Brown). The crying trombone solo opening up Fuete presents the band in a sad and bluesy light. Even as a non-Spanish speaker, I can feel the pain in singers delivery. I feel like a drunk trying to escape from life’s troubles in a bar. An introspective rap appears to make the song a personal journey of self worth. This upward trajectory builds up like a triumph overcoming the problems in life we all go through. Lightning up the weight of that previous tune, All you Got to Do gives a more up-beat, classic RnB vibe resembling Valerie by Amy Whitehouse. I love the call and response vocals and the chant near the end over a chipper horn section keeping us in a state of heads over heels infatuation.
Un Poquito brings back the base Fela Kuti and James Brown energy and is down to keep the house jumping 24/7. The interludes of toilet paper are a hilarious cherry atop this danceable, sonic, sundae. The instrumentals on this track are incredibly tight! As the Saxophone slowly winds up, the sentiment of the next track, Pain, is apparent. This track explores the nuance and copes with pain in a healthy way (such as sympathy or shared experiences). The track is reminiscent of Edwin Star’s classic hit, War. Last but not least, we have the title track and theme song for the band, TequilaFunk! This track offers disco slap bass, verses resembling The Ghostbusters theme, and the iconic horn section channleing Earth, Wind, and Fire. There ain’t no party like a REPOSADO party!
REPOSADO has crafted a consistent, confident, and fully realized, debut as their first public release. With their foundational inspiration from Fania Records, the band has molded its roots into a proficient juggernaut of sound. Their music is energetic, the singer’s swagger is through the roof, and the overall presentation is solid! While having a lot of features on the track listing, they all feel natural as if they were part of the band. I love their service to my eardrums, the community they created through their following, and the hearts of all music lovers who hear their perfect sound!
10/10