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Arrasando - Juan Formell y Los Van Van (Planet Records)
 The year 2009 is a big one for Los Van Van. Celebrating 40 years in the music business, a new Very Best Of Los Van Van compilation released on Nascente Records in February, their first UK live gig in two years in March 2009 in London as part of a spring European tour, and co-inciding with all this, their first studio album in 3 years is released. "Arrasando" was much anticipated with new tracks floating around the UK's Cuban scene for up to a year before official release.
Could Juan Formell's crew match the awesome "Chapeando" release of 2006. The answer is yes but I think unless you are a devout Los Van Van fan or Cuban, this release will be a grower with tracks slowly becoming favourites over time. There are some stone killers from the start that went straight into my DJ sets immediately."La Rumba No" has the bite of "Chapeando" tracks with Mayito Rivera on top vocal duties. "Me Mantengo" is my favourite for now - mid-tempo typical Van Van groove with trombones right upfront in the mix and then violins taking the dynamics down in the chorus. Perfect. Title track "Arrasando" I love but at 6.24 minutes and a VERY jazzy and long intro, its only going to work at Cuban nights.
I think that the overall production on this new CD is more laid back than previous releases - at times on certain tracks, it lacks that killer punch that we are getting from Maikel Blanco and Tirso Duarte. However, Los Van Van are maestros of the montuno and once the groove is set, the songs pick up in energy, much of it due to the vocalists - Mayito is on form as always as are Roberto Hernandez and Yeni Valdes.
So, listeners and dancers, I personally think this CD is good and the usual quality Van Van release we are used to, but in the end, you have to make up your own minds.
Lubi Jovanovic
http://www.myspace.com/djlubi
CD compiler : Fania Records/Freestyle Records/World Music Network/Nascente Records
Available to buy from MrBongoSalsa;
http://www.mrbongosalsa.com/los_van_van_arrasando_cd.html
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