Formerly Sibeba, Hijas del Sol are two vibrant vocalists from Equatorial Guinea who sing strident and joyous duets in their native Bioko and sometimes Spanish. Spain once colonized their region, leaving a definite Iberian influence on the music. Flamenco styles and more appear on these tracks that feature ethnic instrumentation along with cello, clarinet, guitar, and bass. The resultant mix is understood by the European ear, but sufficiently unique and lively to reveal exotic traditional roots. The African instrumentation includes tres guitar, djembe drums, and other percussion such as claves, batas (tall conical wood drums), and bottles. These songs take listeners into an exuberant setting of rainbow colors, dancing, and tropical sun, and it’s difficult to come back. – Tom Schulte
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