Makala - Hondartzan (2005)

"Hondartzan", second album of Mikel Unzurrunzaga Schmitz, better known as Makala, is one of those works that are winning with the successive listeners, clear and unequivocal sign that we are facing a solid, convincing record, a rare avis in the Spanish panorama whose existence does not cease to surprise us pleasantly. Makala displays all her talent in an album of influences and multiple styles: from the most Jamaican reggae to the most electronic dub, through the ragga, Latin jazz passages, funk, a lot of funk, hip hop beats, electronics, afrobeats ... No However, more than this phenomenal stylistic variety, the most dazzling aspect of "Hondartzan" is its amazing care of instrumentation. Up to 22 musicians have gone through the studio to record this work, a figure at all usual in the case of an album that incorporates electronics. So, the fact that part of what we hear comes from the machines, from the treatment of samples, is almost anecdotal, because what really calls theAttention is the exceptional richness of all subjects, the abundance of virtuous solos, the color and texture that creates the superposition of all instruments. One does not know if to stay with the percussion, with the section of winds or with the flavor that gives the use him of hammond and the rodhes, courtesy of Jimmy Bidaurreta and Roberto Sanchez. Makala opens the album with "Bizi Pozik", a succulent reggae cut that will delight lovers of style, while the party continues with that wonder that is "Fuego Amigo?", Simply brilliant, a gift for all who enjoy with black music regardless of labels. Although all the themes are interesting, the great moments come with the funk of "Music Makes Me Free" and "Funkel" (a section in which we check how well the combination of lyrics works in English and in Basque), with the afro flavor of "Afrika Kontinente Ahaztua", with the much and good "Hambre" dance and with that pearl that is "Agur Hawai". All these topics, plus the double final cherry, in the form of dub versions, make "Hondartzan" a safe recommendation. "Hondartzan" also has a luxury artwork, a masterpiece by the always interesting designer Txarly Brown. All the tracks have one or two pages of the script, so you can listen to the album as you read the information about each section and discover the many nice details of the inspired design. One more reason to get hold of "Hondartzan". They make "Hondartzan" a safe recommendation. "Hondartzan" also has a luxury artwork, a masterpiece by the always interesting designer Txarly Brown. All the tracks have one or two pages of the script, so you can listen to the album as you read the information about each section and discover the many nice details of the inspired design. One more reason to get hold of "Hondartzan". They make "Hondartzan" a safe recommendation. "Hondartzan" also has a luxury artwork, a masterpiece by the always interesting designer Txarly Brown. All the tracks have one or two pages of the script, so you can listen to the album as you read the information about each section and discover the many nice details of the inspired design. One more reason to get hold of "Hondartzan".