Quantic Presents Flowering Inferno

With his second release under the Flowering Inferno moniker, Will (Quantic) Holland continues to scratch his musical itch for more Jamaican-influenced, Latin dancehall fare. The record is awash with the laidback rhythms of reggae - a welcome, breezy, tropical infusion and a beautiful reminder that coastal Columbia shares the same African roots as its many Caribbean Island neighbours to the north - while jazz instruments give it a vintage flush. The rhythms of Puerto Rico, Cuba (guaguanco) and the Cumbia of Columbia are tweaked just enough to maintain their identity while being given a modern edge. In the case of "Echate Pa'lla" and "Te Pico El Yaibí," the vocal, more traditional cuts reappear later in heavier dub versions, bringing the total count up to ten tracks. Anchored by a smooth and persistent bass line, all the tracks on Dog with a Rope, which features some first-rate performances by percussionists Conrad Kelly (Steel Pulse/UB40) and Wilson Viveros (a legend in Colombia's capital), mesh perfectly into one another, making for a seamless listen despite the various styles being highlighted.