La Revancha Del Tango, released in Europe in 2001, quickly became a lounge favorite with its seductive blend of chillout programming and authentic tango music, leading to impressive sales. When it debuted in the United States two years later, it captured the attention of electronic music enthusiasts, tango aficionados, and world music fans alike. The Gotan Project, consisting of Philippe Cohen Solal, Christoph H. Müller, and Eduardo Makaroff, crafted the album's strongest material. Their creative integration of Frank Zappa's "Chunga's Revenge," Gato Barbieri's theme from the movie Last Tango In Paris, and Astor Piazzolla's "Vuelvo Al Sur" into their unique soundscape highlights their broad and inclusive musical tastes. While some critics note the album's ubiquity in trendy restaurants and boutiques from Paris to Los Angeles, its widespread appeal is a testament to its quality. The album also includes a bonus disc featuring four remixes. --Tad Hendrickson
The debut album by this Paris-based trio offers a relaxed fusion of tango dance rhythms and Argentinean instrumentation. United by their passion for blending sound with image and merging electronic and acoustic music, the group enhanced their house, dub, and hip-hop influenced productions by collaborating with two of Argentina's finest tango musicians. The result is a distinctive musical experience featuring bandonion (a type of accordion), violin, and vocals. This release includes the memorable jazz-house hit "Triptico," which has sold over 400,000 copies worldwide. The US version contains the original ten tracks from the European release, along with a special bonus disc featuring the "Santa Maria" video and four additional audio tracks.
In a review by URB Magazine, Matthew Cooke notes that the Gotan Project, part of last year's URB Next 100 alumni, skillfully combines tango rhythms and Astor Piazzolla with dub and downtempo. This fusion creates an atmosphere of old-world charm, passionate romance, and irresistible chill music. The French collective's use of tango reflects the Parisian emphasis on glamour, despite the dance's origins in the brothels of late-19th-century Argentina. Familiar melodies, such as the theme from "Last Tango In Paris" and a reggae version of Frank Zappa's "Chunga's Revenge," emerge like vivid, ethereal dreams. The music feels both familiar and exotic, as if all your past lives are gathered around a turntable, creating a unique auditory experience.