Up Bustle & Out

In their never-ending quest to fuse traditional world sounds with dance floor-friendly grooves, the Mexican Sessions finds the UK’s Up, Bustle & Out collaborating with trendy Mexican artists, producers and DJs for their eighth release. Originally started as a project with Mexican hip-hop ambassadors Control Machete, the two bands found themselves working with cumbia-based sounds before bringing aboard at least a dozen other artists and turning it into an international project. As per the title, the music is the result of sessions and as such, album-inspired tracks are interspersed with remixes, so the singles are what you should be listening for. As per previous Up, Bustle & Out releases, there are overriding smoky dub and dancehall influences, not unlike Roots Manuva, which are entwined with street-wise Latino hip-hop, dusty mariachi horns, as well as cumbia and more regional Mexican influences such as norteño. The highlights, however, are the two tracks that sound nothing like the above. "Mi Altar Voy A Armar” is trip-hop layered, early ’90s UK soul reminiscent of what a Blue Lines session may have sounded like if it had been recorded in Mexico City. "Guitar Ahoy” is melancholic flamenco guitar over lounge-y Esquivel styled organ. Although an essential part of their sound, Up, Bustle & Out should let the dub influence finally rest and concentrate on mixing the regional sounds they so highly seek with something new and fresh.