'Guirca' by Kalaha

Marking the distinction of their seventh studio release, Kalaha unveil their latest effort, 'Guirca'.

Released through their long-standing label home, the esteemed April Records, the Danish quartet have revelled in running the gamut of dynamic and varied musical soundscapes that demonstrate the group's ability to flit effortlessly between - or even unite - disparate sonic realms and boundaries.

While 'Tutku' (2022) saw Kalaha celebrate 1970s Turkish psychedelic rock, 'Mystafa' (2021) proved a compelling showcase for the band's musical gumbo style combining global grooves, electronica and even 1980s synth-pop.  Always looking to regard each new release with a clean slate - less in a bid for reinvention and more to solidify their passion for evolution - 'Guirca' sees the quartet turn their attention to the high-energy and thrilling sounds of cumbia.

Serving as a fusion of styles in its own right, cumbia's amalgamation of African and Spanish musical traditions makes it the perfect subject for Kalaha's distinguished sonic dissections.

Over the years, the Kalaha quartet have ascended to supergroup status with its band members immersed amongst a variety of further solo and collective endeavours that continue to find them pushing boundaries amidst different settings.  Comprised of Emil de Waal (drums), Nicholas Knudsen (guitars), Jens Berents Christiansen (keys) and Anders Stig Moller (bass), there's generally a strong understanding that when the four come together under the 'Kalaha' banner, their irrefutable chemistry gives rise to a real magic.  A fact perfectly evident throughout 'Guirca'.

Across the album's nine tracks, we're treated to a wonderful foray into the realms of cumbia with a variety of pieces embracing the varied styles within its own wide-ranging genre.  With tracks showcasing cumbia's more organic compositions and to others that embrace the more electronic aspects of the genre, Kalaha deliver a standout effort as they consistently do.  From the urgency of 'Vals Ajillo', the strong Latin stylings of the album's title track to the more cinematic-sounding 'Yacumama', Kalaha have once again tapped into the code of their subject's inner workings and presented their version with self-assuredness and confidence.  A final mention goes to the fantastic 'Out in the Woods' which is brilliantly infectious and deserving of its position as the album's centrepiece.

With 'Guirca', Kalaha reaffirm their place as a boundlessly progressive and imaginative ensemble.  Long may they continue to find the joy in creating!