Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
Dub Sonata: Nights in Cuba (Illest Rated, 12/14/10)
Dub Sonata: “Cubana”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/03-Cubana.mp3|titles=Dub Sonata: Cubana]On Nights in Cuba, the music of Florida’s southerly neighbor receives a proper second-hand re-imagining from New York-based producer Dub Sonata. Released late last year, the record is an ambitious 19-track instrumental voyage through the island’s tremendous musical tradition — a heritage that some attest is the richest in the world.
And if there’s one thing that listeners realize after first spin, it’s that the record gives the argument justice. Though at the heart of Cuban music are styles we’ve come to associate with the Latin sound, Dub Sonata lays down funky foundations — everything from hip-hop break beats to drum and bass — that make for a seamless integration of musical cultures.
The United States’ trade embargo against Cuba has made it quite difficult for Americans to travel there. Flights direct from the United States to Cuba are nonexistent — and though Americans can officially travel there, it’s actually illegal to purchase anything. During a small window of time, Dub Sonata traveled to Cuba via the Cayman Islands without any expectations of bringing anything back.
The impromptu trip proved to be the beginning of Nights in Cuba, as the producer met locals who pointed him to the shop where he would spend two days digging through thousands of old, mostly unplayable records. Salvaging over 100 LPs and 45s combined, he shipped the records back to New York.