THE BIRTH OF COOL | Gotan Project

A PLACE TO DANCE: “Buenos Aires, a wondrous city!” announces a spoken-word sample at the beginning of the Gotan Project’s song “Desilusion”. For the unacquainted, Gotan is “tango” with the letters rearranged. Within the name of the band, exists the very thing they are trying to do as a group — expand the art of the famous Argentinian sound into hybrid categories of electronica and chill. In other words, spelling “tango” in their own unique “gotan’ way. “Tango 3.0″ is the eighth album from this Paris-based band, and the name of the record offers a hint at their direction. It’s the sounds of the tango for the modern era. Gotan Project has long been at this niche craft, and haven’t necessarily reinvented the wheel here. It’s hard to top their 2001 breakthrough classic, “La Revancha Del Tango”. But they do continue to show how addictive older-styled rhythms are and how well those sounds can work with modern instrumentation. They prove the world of glitter and bandoneons can find new partners in the accordion, loops, dub effects, and in the case of their single, “La Gloria” — sports commentator Victor Hugo Morales yelling “Goooootan!” in place of his usual “Gooooooal!” during the track. Yeah, it may sound a bit corny, but it works, and it’s fun. Standout tracks include “Tu Misterio” and the languid, syrup-slow mood piece “Tango Square”.   – Words by David D. Robbins Jr. (Art manipulated from original album cover)

Gotan Project “La Gloria”