Von Peter Glückstein

It seems weird to review albums that are really publicity pieces — advertisements for a new club in Berlin, called Goya. But publicity stunt or not, these are great compilations, featuring rare and unknown tracks by artists from all over the globe. A new edition is scheduled to be released every three months, with Goya 1 and 2 currently in wide distribution. What caught my attention first was "Summertime,” done by Angelique Kidjo, which opens 1. This is a gorgeous song, and added to Kidjo’s alto vocals and a pulling beat, it creates a warm sense of summer, but on a sunny shore, rather than Gershwin’s streets of Charleston. The jazz tune "Chauffeur” by the fantastic Nina Simone actually graces 2, along with the Spanish "El Coco” by the Gitano Family. It’s electronic, blues, soul, tango, hip-hop, crossover, and anything else, but despite the differences, a solid but invisible thread connects the whole thing, making it a real album, rather than a compilation. Peter Glückstein, initiator of the project, has created an ambient album with real ambience — a sense of place and difference, all that manages to capture the attention and hold it tight.