Bajafondo Tango ClubSupervielleReview

The secondalbumby international tango/electronica phenomenon Bajofondo Tango Club highlights compositions by their keyboardist Luciano Supervielle.

Like its predecessor, it's a grower, with a deceptively spectral charm that isn't immediately obvious. That's partly because the melodies that weave through it are mostly tantalisingly fragmentary. And also partly because, as Enrique Lopetegui puts it in his cool concise sleeve notes, Supervielle's playing is devoid of any needless displays of virtuosity.

On first impression,Supervielle's presence appears so nondescript that he seems almost to be in danger of disappearing into the wallpaper on his own record, until you realise just how much of the programming, arranging and perhaps even scratching is also his. And like the first Bajofondo Tango Club album this is very much a collaborative effort. Gustavo Santaolalla and Juan Campodónico are still working away as producers, with violinist Javier Casalla and bandoneón player Martín Ferres the other most notable of recurring figures.

Supervielle doesn't have the same febrile energy of that first album; it's more of a chill-out experience, and a good deal shorter, even including two tracks (Perfume and Forma) that are recycled, the latter little changed. Once again, the fabulously vampy Adriana Varela haunts the former, though on this original version she's without the distinctive bleat of Cristóbal Repetto. But Argentina's brightest young male star of traditional tango is put to good use in other places. One of these is the drum'n' bass driven 'Fandango', which he shares with newcomer Sol Bustelo. Another new voice is the gruff croak of Daniel Melingo who spars with Montevideo rappers Guillermo Fervenza and Marcelo Gamboa on Miles de Pasajeros.

It works a lot better than the recent feeble attempts at rap fusions by Gotan Project, to whom Bajofondo are often compared; here, there's no attempt to emulate Americana. Padding out the vocal cameos are several short interlude-style tracks, the best of which is Mateo y Cabrera. The short snatch of raw drums at the end leaves you wishing it went on a bit longer.

Less is more? Well, not exactly. Yet, while Supervielle doesn't quite match the calibre of their previous efforts, it's a more than a satisfactory follow-up. Who's next, then?