TANGO FANGO

With their 8th studio album GURU GURU continued to explore Latin/Fusion sound that they started on the previous efforts. The music is ever more complex with increasing use of assorted percussions, keyboards, synths and saxophones, courtesy mainly of multi- instrumentalist Rolland Schaeffer. However, this album is not very strong. With its frequent take on light samba/bossa nova sound, at times it is close to easy-listening Muzak. What keeps it back on track is omnipresent Mani's humour and satire, which reminds us that we are not listening to some Brazilian "riviera-style" samba/jazz. "L Torro" takes us back to the best moments of "Dance of the Flames", while the experimental "Das Lebendige Radio" is sort of a filler on this album, although I (with my limited German language skills) assume the satiric view of "Madagascaran accordion players helping bring Deutsche Demokratische Republik and West Germany back together again" was really funny at those times of divided Germany. GURU GURU made "Tango Fango" sound close to Frank Zappa/Mothers' fusion instrumentation with hilarious lyrics and it even reminds me of a unique ex-Yugoslav/Slovenian avant band BULDOZER, who also mocked their Alpine/Mittel-European legacy. "Tango Fango" is surely recommended to give it a listen, but overall mark cannot pass over three stars.