John Beltran
Sun Gypsy
Ubiquity
John Beltran is one of those unique artists who refuses to be pinned down like some entomologist’s sample. This producer will mine any musical tradition (techno, samba, trip hop, world, classical, ad infinitum) to unleash fresh, unique sounds that’ll blow your mind. Reportedly inspired by his recent move to Miami, Beltran has gotten all Latin/Brazilian on us, and, out of this odyssey, we now have Sun Gypsy, a disc full of dark rum and erotic soundscapes.
Here, Beltran takes Caribbean, etc., rhythms and throws them into the ether, creating a highly energetic dreamscape that stimulates the cerebellum and libido simultaneously. “Kiana,” for example, is dominated by frenetic Brazilian percussion, yet is tempered beautifully by lush, vibrant synths of dreamy Brasil ‘66 vocals. “La Nueva” sounds like the acid-drenched travels of Ray Barretto and Carlos Santana.
There is a lot of jazz and a lot of dance rhythms tempered beautifully together that takes you beyond most anything you’ve heard. Where Madrid de Los Austrias and Las Palmas Collective effectively combine house and Latin music, JB gives the synthesis a more organic feel. He places you headlong into this creamy imagined land where tropical rhythms singe and relieve simultaneously. An ululating jazzed-up sensation that is a Caribbean sunset treasure to behold.
Ubiquity Records: http://www.ubiquityrecords.com
