Music collective Darumas might not be on your radar yet but they really should be. The trio – comprised Argentinian bassist Aldana Aguirre, Miami vocalist Ceci Leon and Haiti singer Vedala Vilmond – bring together their diverse musical roots and backgrounds to create something that’s incredibly unique in Latin music right now. Named after the Japanese good luck charm that symbolises perseverance and wish fulfilment, Darumas have just released their debut collection – a 7-track project that’s filled with grooves, hooks and feel-good energy.
Despite running at only 20 minutes in length, ‘Darumas’ packs plenty into its seven songs. Opening track, and lead single, ‘Daruma’ really is the perfect showcase for what these women are capable of. Mixing Latin rhythms and funk together, the song is a feel-good uptempo groove that you’ll want to crank up loud in the sunshine. Whether or not you speak Spanish, you won’t be able to resist the instrumentation, which lifts you into a dreamy soundscape of the kind I’ve not heard in mainstream Latin music for a long time.
I admit I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the rest of ‘Darumas’ is far reaching in terms of genres and style. Part of me was expecting a variation on the lead single but that’s most definitely not the case. ‘Mago’ (“Magician’) blends classic Latin sounds with contemporary hip-hop by way of a 70s disco while ‘Coleccionista’ (‘Collector’) unexpectedly enters into soulful R&B territory underpinned by a sumptuous groove. Three tracks in and these women have shown more range than the majority of artists in music today.
‘Cero de Cien’ (‘Zero Out of a Hundred’) opens with impressive bass work by Aldana before making way for a funk celebration that demands you crank up the volume and dance your backside off. ‘La Lamada’ (‘The Call’) is probably the moment that’s closest to what’s going on elsewhere in Latin music right now, but it’s still far from the trap and reggaeton vibes that most artists in the genre are putting out. Trap isn’t completely out of the question though, as it does make an appearance on the gorgeous R&B gem ‘Candy’ which could have been a hit for Ariana Grande in another life (with a Nicki Minaj feature of course).
The collection’s final track is ‘Qué Suerte’ (‘Lucky’). An intense fusion of Latin pop and funk, the song features incredible harmonies and even more impressive instrumentation. It’s one of the album’s more restrained moments but it soars due to its relative simplicity compared to the six other tracks here.
At only 7 tracks ‘Darumas’ leaves you wanting more. The collection is so infectious that you’ll be reaching for the play button as soon as it’s over. These three women are incredibly talented and together they are unstoppable. Could this be the sea change that Latin music has been waiting for? Potentially. Darumas is one of the most exciting bands to emerge on the Latin music scene for years and I’m excited to see where they go from here.
Track listing: 1. Daruma 2. Mago 3. Coleccionista 4. Cero de Cien 5. La Llamada 6. Candy 7. Qué Suerte Record label: Sony Music Latin Release date: 17th May 2024
