Las Bases del Razonamiento
Maldito Digital (40 mins)
For the most part, Sonido Vegetal seem to be part of the great line of Spanish ska-punk bands, with all the raucous energy and tones of psychedelia that that entails, but their own style also draws from Eastern European gypsy music. It’s a great combination executed with natural ease, the horn section switching freely between typical ska blasts and the pumping of Balkan brass.
As could be expected with a punk-gypsy mix, there are hints of the band’s spiritual siblings Gogol Bordello – former Bordellian Oren Kaplan makes several appearances throughout the album – but Sonido Vegetal’s dedication to Latin ska gives them their unique sound.
Every track here feels interesting and different, due to each having a slightly different twist, from the dubout of ‘El Hormiguero’ to the surf-rock of ‘De Nada’. Flamenco is also explored, with the title track examining the connections between the Spanish and Balkan gypsy styles, all in a punk-friendly timeframe of 2:40.
This album does what all ska-punk aims to do – it brings a great big noise that’s perfect to jump around to. The gypsy elements (both Balkan and Spanish) could stand to be explored more thoroughly, but an album this fun is its own reward.