The first note of “Hidden Hand” on the Budos Band’s new EP had me hooked. Their sound has been described as “Afro-Soul,” which I find very intriguing yet too limiting. Their sound is much more layered and diverse than this label indicates. While there are Afro-soul-salsa-dance beats in every track, each song on the EP allows a different musical influence be a little bit more dominant than the others. “Mas O Menos” has the funky, soulful underlying beat, “Ephra” has a ’60s surf rock bass, and “Hidden Hand” has a big band beat. This hybrid sound creates a groove that begs you to get up and dance.
The music is tight, sharp, and clean, but what impressed me most about this EP is the flow. The transition from song to song is both seamless and deliberate. The first note of “Hidden Hand” picks you up off your feet, then forces you to dance, swing your hips, and take as many dance partners as can keep up with you. The Budos Band carry you through the next numbers that have a carefully plotted rise and fall, until the last song, which eases the listener back into his chair, exhausted and invigorated. This control of the arrangement of songs shows how much consideration the Budos Band give their listener. The Budos Band not only recorded a great EP, but created an experience for the listener.
The Budos Band is what happens when those former high school band members with talent become hip. Their instrumental arrangements are able to cross over from the bandstand and on to iPods and radio. This EP begs the listener to come and see them live and dance until the sun rises.
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