Amor

They Say...

Review by Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Riding high on the success of its initial releases and its collaborative remixes with Richard Dorfmeister, Madrid de los Austrias delivered its full-length debut in grand fashion. The Vienna duo known for its flamenco-infused downbeat style compiled its numerous previously released singles -- "Ole," "Dove Estuta," "Sportcabaret," "Ponte Rosa," "Sport is Lisbon" -- and also threw in seven new tracks that share a similarly Spanish sound, resulting in a sure-fire album that should please everyone. Listeners already familiar with the singles will enjoy the new recordings, and those new to Madrid de los Austrias are surely in for a wonderful surprise here, particularly since the singles are front-stacked. The breathtaking one-two-three lineup of "Ole," "Dove Estuta," and "Sportcabaret" kick-starts the album dancefloor-style, and then producers Heinz Tronigger and Pogo, perhaps thankfully, cool the proceedings down momentarily with the breezy Mediterranean ease of "Ponte Rosa." From here the album opens up incredibly, every successive track possessing its own unique characteristic -- the percussion-heavy "Los Caños de Meca," the giddy guitar playing and Spanish whispers of "Viva la Evolution," the baiting stop-and-go of "Bellaria," the Latin house thump of "Nina," and so on. Notably tucked away among these latter tracks is "Sport in Lisbon," a relatively brief yet standout track boiling over with sweltering diva vocals. By the time you reach the end of Amor, whether you're already acquainted with Madrid de los Austrias or not, you're absolutely in awe of how many different directions this Vienna duo takes its seemingly novelty sound. The previously released singles foreshadowed such depth; however, those mostly dancefloor-orientated tracks couldn't have possibly prepared anyone for such breadth. You sincerely have to wonder how these Austrians sound so unmistakably Spanish, perfectly capturing the country's festive spirit. They quite remarkably sound as authentic as any truly Spanish act, if not more so.