Amatoria by Federico Abuele
LABEL: ESL Music

Federico Aubele's third album Amatoria is an eclectic mix of reggae, bossanova, tropicalia, funk, and bolero. Born in Buenos Aires, Federico Aubele started playing music at the age of 12. His mother is credited as his primary musical influence even though she herself was not a musician.  Aubele moved to Belin in 2001 (during the Argentine economic crisis) where he released his debut album Gran Hotel Buenos Aires which was produced by electronic gurus Thievery Corporation after signing him and hearing a demo tape Aubele had sent to their label.

Amatoria is varied in genres and is sublime in sound. Heavy on guitar, Spanish percussion, and a booming bass that is used sparingly, as well as special effects sounds and interesting mixing techniques, it also features duets between him and two other female singers, one being Miho Hatori (Cibo Mato, Gorrilaz) and the other, Sabina Sciubba. The first few tracks feature Sciubba where she manages to blend her vocals and harmonization nicely with Aubele. Miho Hatori appears on track 9, which is definitely a stand out track, where her signature voice is angelic and graceful. 

Brazillian sounding, reggae and dub influenced, mixed with tropicalia, bossanova, hip hop beats, and topped with a Spanish flair, Amatoria is a non abrasive, smooth sounding, night time record that is both introspective and relaxing to listen to. Some songs are better than others, and the last three songs kind of fall flat for this reviewer, mainly because they are either too short, or they sound a bit uninspired. Overall, though, Amatoria succeeds. It's not a masterpiece, but it would make a nice addition to any world music collector's catalog. 

REVIEWED BY MARK GE