“This timeless album is makisi nsi. That’s the term the Cuban scholar of Kongo thought Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz uses instead of “traditional.” He glosses it as “what is proper to a place.” The “traditional” forms are also grounds for experimentation, every time a drummer sits down at a barril or a quinto. This record’s traditionalism is forward-looking.”
“Although unassuming in appearance, this precise mix of elements is the product of 10 years of musical, spiritual and material effort by Cole, who independently and out of pure determination—or as we say in the Caribbean, “a cojón”—managed to record, mix and master the album with the highest standards of quality and with resources reserved for projects backed by big capital[2] . The patience required to carry out this task is felt in this performance by Cole, who avoids any gimmicks or formulas and gives over to us a purified version of himself—the protagonist here is the music. ”
