Spanish Dogs by El Combo Batanga

Spanish Dogs, the second full-length excursion from Madrid-based nine-piece El Comba Batanga, is the sound of an experienced, musically gifted, and notoriously tight band of professional musicians finding its groove. While their admired pandemic-era debut LP, Who Cares, set out their infectious and rhythmically detailed sound world, Spanish Dogs takes it to whole new heights, in the process delivering a future Afro-Cuban/Latin Soul fusion classic.

For those closely following the band’s evolution, this should come as little surprise; after all, the band’s rhythm section (guitarist-songwriter Julian Olivares, double bassist Yago Saloria, drummer/pailas player Rodrigo “El Nino”, and conga player Pete Prat) have played and performed together for two decades, initially in Afro-Cuban jam band Los Chocolatiers.

The outfit’s weekly Monday night live sessions proved popular, with one interested attendee – Ale Gutiérrez, lead singer with influential 2000s neo-Cuban act Habana Abierta – being so blown away by their performances that he permanently joined their ranks three weeks later. Then, in 2018, Le Chocolatiers were booked to back Joe Bataan on tour in Europe, expanding their ranks with the addition of keyboardist Rubén García, and a trio of talented horn players (Aarón Pozón, Javier Martínez and César Medina).

El Combo Batanga have been on an upward trajectory ever since, with a string of sold-out gigs leading to a sweep of studio sessions with producer Tuco Salamanca, debut album Who Cares, and a distinctive trademark sound that combines boogaloo, Timba, Son, Cuban soul and a dash of fiery Latin funk.

Five years on from the release of that inspired debut full-length, El Combo Batanga reunited with Tuco Salamanca in the studio to lay down LP number two. Recorded live in less than three days following extensive writing and rehearsal sessions, it captures a genuinely unique band at the peak of their powers.

For proof, check opener ‘Batanga Caballera’, an infectious musical calling card rich in Afro-Cuban percussion, shuffling soul breaks and jaunty horn motifs, the neo-boogaloo excellence of ‘Spanish Dog’, the kaleidoscopic dancefloor explosion of ‘Cocacho Mambo’, and the gorgeously orchestrated sweep of ‘Darling’, where Gutiérrez’s gritty and emotive lead vocals rise above one of their most beautiful and expansive backing tracks.

The band’s mastery of their craft is evident across the set, whether laying down riotous Latin funk heaviness (future live classic ‘You Better Watch Out’), rolling Afro-Cuban soul (‘La Cuota’), jaunty nods to Gutiérrez’s Cuban roots (‘Galeno’ and ’Bruca Manigua’, with its heartfelt big band jazz swell), or life-affirming, dancefloor-igniting covers (swing staple ‘Staple Up and Fly Right’, re-imagined as a bilingual Latin swing anthem).

Spanish Dogs, then, represents a step up from one of Europe’s tightest and most accomplished Afro-Cuban/Latin Soul combos – not only confirmation of their frequently overlooked brilliance, but also a timeless, must-check future classic.

El Combo Batanga is a musical explosion at the intersection of Afro-Cuban rhythms and Latin funk. A group of powerful musicians amalgamating son, timba, latin soul and bogaloo para que goce la gente.