Release Date: Monday 14 June 2010
A relatively loosely fitting concept for an album, this one from Putumayo's shelves is filled with songs from artists who live on islands (e.g., Caribbean, Pacific, East African). The album starts out with a little dance from Tito Paris (from Cape Verde). Also representing Cape Verde later on is Maria Alice, who puts out something a little closer to Portuguese fado (understandable, given her location). Representing the Caribbean are Kali from Martinique, who provides a slickly produced dance number, Puerto Rico's Jose Gonzalez, who provides a little more of a hybrid dance/traditional sound, and Quito Rymer, a bar owner from the Virgin Islands, with a heavily reggae-tinged sound. From Madagascar, both D'Gary & Jihe (legends in their own land) and Tarika (apparently without her constant associate, Sammy) provide tracks. Finally, from the Pacific, a pair of similar duos provide tracks: Bobby & Angelo from Tahiti and Hapa from Hawaii, both of whom have created something of a half-traditional popular form of music on their respective islands. Overall, the music isn't bad at all but, after making use of such a generalized categorization as islands, much worthwhile music has been left out.
