Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Overall a nice surprise. A very listenable and enjoyable recording with Latin, hip-hop influences. Even the songs sung in Spanish are enjoyable. Notable songs are "Believe" and "Love and Hope". I am glad this album was included in the list!
Geen tijd gehad om alles op youtube op tr zoeken maar dit smaakt zeker naar meer Is dat obama??
Latin rock, funk, jazz, hip hop. Some of the early 2000s record scratching elements are a bit cringe, but overall it's really cool and fun. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Believe Date listened: 13/03/24
I enjoyed this.
What a fun listen! Latin funk, rap, pop, ballad. Even though they're singing in Spanish, there was something about a couple of the tracks that reminded me of the music in Bollywood films. Love and Hope and Ya Viene el Sol were favs.
Pretty good. I liked the variety. Didn't dislike most of the rap, which is saying something for me. Another great candidate for 3.5*. Rounding up with this one, for a change.
Good
Very fun and chilled, with so many different genres it almost sounded like a compilation album (in a good way) But ... a pain in the proverbial to listen to, since it's not on any of the streaming services. I can't give it 5 when I couldn't hear it all, even though I loved what I did listen to
It’s not earth shattering but it had me grooving the entire time. Very enjoyable listen even if it’s not a “great” album.
What a jam — shocked I missed this album in 2004. Love the blending of all these genres (rock, ska, salsa, some middle eastern inspired strings 😍)
Spotify is missing most of the songs on the album
Good mix of different genres. Not something I would usually listen to.
Much hip & shoulder action was had during the playing of this album, it varied greatly, but was overall a fun album.
Toller Slap Bass im ersten Stück!
This is a fun album I’ve never heard of. Incredibly, wildly, and comically inconsistent in style, but always consistent and quality. 4/5
I enjoyed what I listened to but most was unavailable!
Alors la c'est enorme, obligé d'écouter des covers de l'album tellement il est visiblement blacklisté par toutes les instances musicales. Dommage car il était vraiment pas mal.
A little too much rapping on some songs, but some really strong ones as well. Would love to see them live one more time....
Love me some Chali 2na
This was actually really fun and I kept listening to songs of theirs after the album finished.
It's a dang party!
liked
I enjoyed this. Buena Vista Social Club vibes.
Put this one in the category of new favorites. I feel like I have been on a roller coaster of emotions with this list the past week. Two all timers gave way to a stinker, and now that stinker has turned into gold. I don't think this album made any splashes, per the wiki, but it was used on a ton of soundtracks, specifically video games. I read on there that there was an MX vs ATV game that I swear we played on the Xbox, I listened to that one, Saturday Night, and while no memories popped up, I could tell that was a good song for that game. Regardless, this was one of the more fun albums I've heard on this list. In fact, I listened to it a few times last night while I was doing some Aqua Death Run on Fortnite. When I think of Latin music, and especially that sort of music you'd hear at some big party, this is exactly that kind of music. I didn't like every song, and it is slow to start, but once it gets going it really cooks. Also I was shocked and delighted to see Chali 2na gracing Who's To Blame, his lyrics sounded so similar to some of his on Jurassic 5 and Reanimation. Guy definitely had a message he was trying to convey, and all those albums came out within a year or two of each other. Favorites: (Who Discovered) America?, Who's To Blame, Te Estoy Buscando, Saturday Night, Nadie Te Tira, Cuando Canto
Dude this album was awesome! If I'm honest I love Chali 2na so his feature helped me get on board. I'm going to explore more of their music. That's only happened with a couple different groups on this whole list.
Cool record. Not at all what I expected. I gave it a second listen and ended up just as intrigued.
Latin jazz + salsa + funk + hip-hop... These are all things I like. Recommended, would shake my ass again.
I think its fair to say this is a unique band and sound. I thought it was great, but can appreciate it may not be everyone's groove.
7/12, 58%
Great upbeat Latin Funk! The world needs more music like this…
Yeah loved this guy
Good fun. Lively and different. I almost understood some of the slower Spanish! Hooray!
Cool shit. Really enjoyed this.
Fun little album. Very dance-y, I loved the fusion of international sounds. Latin, reggae, hip-hop, etc. Makes me wish I was fluent in Spanish.
I feel like I’m in an episode of burn notice (extremely complimentary)
After so many decades of rap, fusion is needed to make it bearable. This fusion with Latin music works for me. I’ll keep this in the Thanksgiving weekend rotation.
N E V E R H E A R D O F T H E M AND E X P L O R E D T H E I R OTHER ALBUMS AND THAT WAS FUN This music *could* rock the house, up loud. Party music for the 90's ? Its dated, so now sounds almost ironic, in a good way, mostly, but not fully.... its ok, like the others day. I think for today it needs speeding up slightly, we're more caffeinated now. Catchy lyrics ... Their kids maths song is so, so good. "maths, thumbs, "
A lil reggae, a lil ska, a lil hip-hop. Not bad!
I can (and did) listen to this all day. Best track: (Who Discovered) America?
Put lyrics aside it's a pretty nice collection of world music...
It was alright. Not sure I'd listen to it again. Also not sure why it's on this list. Not anything mind blowing.
Ozomatli was everywhere in LA in the early 2000s and somehow I never listened to them until now and guess what... I wish I had seen them. I must've been afraid of anything that would need thought and was looking for less chore in my music at the time. Now, all these years later when I want nothing more than to smoke a bowl, put in some earbuds and drown out the family and the kids... this hits the spot.
"Street Signs" was a very cool mash-up of styles from Ozomatli. For such a diversity of sounds, they came together well. I was surprised to hear of the group's early connection to Jurassic 5, with Chali 2na and Cut Chemist being original members who came back to contribute a bit on "Street Signs." Great sound, great political messages, great positivity.
This was almost a five for me but there are too many tracks I don’t love. Excellent throwback for me and reminded me of some very fun concerts with friends. Love the jumble of styles and the LA-ness of it all.
Couldn't find the actual album on spotify but listened to some of their other stuff and really liked it.
Fun album, a lot to like here
Really enjoyed the album. Going to need a few more listens to catch the lyrics given they're half in Spanish, but really enjoyed the 3 listens.
I managed to scrape together a few tracks, as the whole album is not on any streaming service accessible to me. From what I have heard, this is a very nice mixture of styles, Latin pop being predominant. I could do without the occasional Hip-Hop/Ra, but it's still quite strong in spite of that. 3.5/5
I love the energy of the album; seems like an extension of what Santana did with Supernatural. I also love J5 so I loved the Chali 2na song. My only complaint would be that at some point the music did get kind of formulaic/repetitive, but overall it's kind of a banger all the way through.
Sounds like a different artist each song. Thought it was a great wee slice of fun
Músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.
Oh what fun! I'm glad I had a chance to listen to this album it was really enjoyable. Fave tracks would be (Who Discovered) America?, Saturday Night, and Dejame En Paz. Cuando Canto is the perfect closer leaves you feeling relaxed afrer all the hype.
Had a lot of fun with this one, but some songs feel repetitive.
I had never heard of Ozomatli before today. But I liked what I heard. A very cool and unique blending of styles forms an enjoyable sound.
this is very nearly a 5 star album, maybe 4.5 it's a bit all over the place, but i like it, reminds me of ondatropica
Really excellent.
Mixture of Latin music and rap. Really fun. 4/5
Nice
Very eclectic...
This was a cool surprise, really fun Latin fusion rap rock.
Fun upbeat music with some variety. Most of it joyful
A very welcome swerve from the procession of old white dudes
Great mix of world music sounds and grooves. A good choice of music to work or clean the house to.
Very solid. Always liked this album.
Started off like 70's funk, but it's a interesting mix of ragga, reggae, dub, latin, and ska. I liked it.
Never heard of these before, really enjoyed the album!
I liked this. Crazy eclectic sound - from Indian raga vibes to sounds approaching klezmer, and it's always a nice change to have socially and politically aware music that is largely positive and upbeat.
I only listened to an incomplete version of this album on Youtube with some tracks being live, so definitely not entirely as the album was intended. That said, I'm happy this was at least something different than the 50th crappy punk album or the 80th interchangeable alternative rock album. It had personality, was fresh, and offered an interesting mix of styles. I didn't like all of it though, Déjame En Paz was horrible. But that's what you get with a mix of styles and an album with personality. At least it stood out, and the good parts were quite fun!
I really enjoyed this - I was already a fan of Chali 2na of J5 but hearing him and others over this ace Latin music was really enjoyable, and the additional African and Middle Eastern influences made it really varied and interesting. Definitely one I'll revisit.
4, bordering a 5, really good record.
Despite sounding like the soundtrack of a Fast and Furious movie, I have to say this was a fun listen. Obviously I didn’t understand it but it’s catchy as hell.
Its a party album, no doubt. Lots of fun but Im not sure an album of this title even exists. Has it become lost to time?
Not familiar with the band at all (although one of their songs from 2010 is in my itunes library -- probably from some compilation sampler I got). Have to say that I really liked the mix of funk, latin and rapping. Maybe they are more well known outside of the US, but they deserve some visibility here too.
This was one of the most unique albums we've heard so far. It featured a variety of sounds, genres, and languages yet nothing sounded out of place. Parts reminded me of the Roots, Santana, the Black Eyed Peas among others but the album still had a cohesive feel. I wish some of the melodies were stronger.
What a fun, funky album, reminded me of the first US3 album! 4 stars easily. Nice find.
Amazing mix of influences and cultures. Never heard of this group before but I like what I find when I'm researching them a little bit. This vibe of taking you around the world by taking you around LA is really cool because of how international LA is. The biggest influence I hear coming through is the Latin one with Spanish lyrics and Latin beats. I love this mix of R&B Salsa Samba Jazz etc etc. It keeps me so interested throughout the album and makes me want to dance some salsa. Really great! Who Discovered America? Wow what a poem, amazing tune too.
It has been really hard to listen to this album as it isn't anywhere online. I think I've managed to listen to most of the songs on YouTube, albeit some were live versions. But I certainly had an impression - wow this was so fun! I bet it would be so great to see live. Loads of energy, fun, big sounds - loved what I did hear!!
Really enjoyed that, felt like it spanned a few different genres nicely. Never heard of Ozomatli but in looking them up found out they are friends with Jack Johnson.
This is what I love about this 1001 experience. I would never have discovered this without this group. I really enjoyed this. It moves right from the start. Loved the guitar in Santiago and the piano in Dona Isabella. This would be the perfect album to play in the background for a warm summer night party.
This was a hard one to rate because of how uptempo and over the place it was. I loved Santiago and America the best, but there were plenty of replay able songs. The combination of rap and Spanish pop(?) was a novel idea to me, and I can’t say that it disappointed.
Super fun hybrid hiphop latin stuff
Jammer dat zowel Spotify als Youtube niet het volledige album hebben. Ik vond dit gevarieerd en leuk. Niet alles overigens; soms vond ik het ook Enrique-Iglesias- en Songfestivalachtig. Over all toch enthousiast. Ik houd wel van groepen met veel muzikanten. Hier nog een leuk filmpje: https://youtu.be/jpAYZKX2Cz4
It's not all available on Spotify or Youtube it seems. What I did listen to I actually enjoyed a lot
A great album with amazing musicality and great musical diversity! Kept me invested the whole time. Best tracks: Believe, Who's to Blame, Saturday Night, Dejame En Paz, and Ya Viene El Sol
Man, that was way more fun than expected. The musicianship is top-notch, the songwriting is lighthearted but still significant, and the recording quality is legit. I don't know, I really enjoyed it and added several tracks to my personal playlists.
Très cool!
Really fun album. I've never listened to these guys but they've got a great sound. Funky, cool latin rhythms, classic old-school hip-hop, it just works. They're creative and playful with their sound and structures, and just sound like they're having a really fun time on the album. They're not my style overall, but I'd listen to this again anytime.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Believe, Love and hope
This was something I'd never heard before, but it makes complete sense when you put it next to contemporaneous stuff like the Cat Empire or Manu Chao. Good fun.
Actually kinda a jam
That was a trip. And Jurassic 5 is a big part of it. Wow catchy and very unique. Whole lots of genre influence
Fun!
Lively fun Latin rock and roll
Pretty awesome blend of rap, funk, and Latin music
little spanish, good
Músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.
Latino flair from LA, Good listening.
I don't care what genre, the world needs more socially conscious music that makes you want to dance as much as this does. I wouldn't normally gravitate to any of the genres explored on this album, and can't say I would go back to it, but glad I now know it exists.
What a mix of styles and genres, seriously loved this experience
Cool hip hop/funk/Latin fusion album. There's a lot of variation in the style of songs on this album which makes it fun to listen to
Mitt nya favorit band. svänger! även om det är svårt att få tag på tyvärr. men så är livet. ques que se
Quite liked this. The Roots but in Spanish?
A different vibe completely from what I listen to. Tons of fun and well worth a listen.
The English lyrics leave a little something to be desired but this is great
Albums like this are the ones I look forward to the most on this list due to their sheer uniqueness. Latin rock is much more interesting than hearing another boring 70s-80s rock album. Fav: who founded America
Rock latino. Fusión. Interesante
J'ai bien aimé, signe d'une grade ouverture d'esprit.
Not on Tidal! Go on youtube. There's not all the wikipedia-listed tracks on one playlist but you can find the tracks about. It's nice enough but it feels like background music Listen for a specific phrase (hint, on Dejame en paz)
Easy listen, but it sounds like something from a kids show
First listen.. like the sound, not sure about the lyrics
?/10. Me pareció un gran disco al principio, pero no está completo en Spotify ni oficial en YouTube, así que no puedo clasificarlo bien. Igualmente, las dos canciones que escuché fueron muy buenas y me sorprendieron.
I wasn’t really into this album on a personal level, but it has an expansive sound and some personality.
I think I was ready to give this album 4 stars yesterday immediately after listening, but I forgot to do so before leaving work. Then I briefly forgot that I had already listened to this album when I got back to work this morning. That tells me that this album wasn't quite as memorable as I thought it was going to be. I did enjoy this album, there are some very fun tracks, and it's a neat fusion of Latin music and a more contemporary sound. I know just enough Spanish to follow along on most tracks, so it was also kind of fun to listen as a way to practice the language. After listening to a few tracks again, I think that I'm right to change my rating based upon my feelings today. It's still a very good album, but now that the shiny newness has worn off, I think it won't be an album I would come back to very often. Favorite track(s): "Te Estoy Buscando," "Cuando Canto"
They have some songs, not all of them though Will I listen to again: 10%
teilweise coole Musik (who discovered america), gegen ende aber abgefallen
Something new and not bad, but more enjoyed for the novelty rather than the actual quality of the music
Had a good variety to it and I enjoyed it. Won't be reached out to listen to it again anytime soon however.
I enjoyed this, although can't help but feel this was included to tick several diversity boxes at once. Would have enjoyed more if it wasn't so difficult to find
Strange but entertaining mix of funk, rap, world music
Full disclosure: I wasn't able to listen to about a quarter of this album due to geographical restrictions. I really liked Who Discovered America? but the rest of the album was just okay to me. Sometimes the different styles of the tracks felt disjointed, so much so that I looked at the tracklist to make sure these weren’t just random songs.
I feel like this deserves better than its average rating but I'm going to give it pretty much exactly its average rating. RYM: N Saved a song: N
I don't really know what to do with this. I only have access to two tracks, but I like those. Gonna go with a propably unfair 3.
A cool blend of hip-hop, rock, and Latin elements, but also frustratingly quite stiff (white?) at times.
Groovy
Yeah it's pretty good nothing special though?
Hooked me on opening song. I’m glad Ozomatli is now on my radar. Hard to NOT move to the music. I would have preferred album to lean into non-rap or more rap. “Street Signs” broke my chair sway. Good, but messed with momentum. “Who Discovered America” picked me up again. Piano on “Dona Isabelle” was lovely but stopped my shimmy for a bit. Possibly should have moved it before “Cuando Canto.”
very upbeat and lively. annoyed that it wasnt on spotify, that has ended up making me fall very behind bc it wasnt convenient lol
annoyingly hard to listen to, I wandered around youtube and spotify and even checked their bandcamp before finally finding it on their record label's youtube This is a wild mix of genres. Which is the kinda stuff I wanted to find on this list. I'm kinda digging it unfortunately it's quite hard to find the full album I'd say I actively didn't like the hip hop songs which drags this otherwise 4 start album down to a 3
this was a funky mix, another idk if i wldve stumbled upon
Took a while to get into this one, but it started to cook. Really just appreciated it as something different and a blend of different influences.
There are some fun moments, but nothing really special.
Decent background music.
From the artists that brought you “Happy Feet Two: The Video Game”
309/1001 Ozomatli - Street Signs Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I enjoyed the horns section and funk with the hip hop on here. However, as they're not on Spotify, it's not likely I'll be hunting this down again.
Before I even get into the review Ozomatli is one of those bands that you if you get to see in person you must take that chance. There was a big kerfuffle in the "Live music capital" of the world Manhattan, oops I mean Austin, Texas. (https://www.nme.com/news/music/ozomatli-4-1364010). With that being said I don't think that this does Ozomatli justice. Their first self titled album is just bangers after bangers.
It's a weird fusion of genres, but I think it works well for most of the record. Favourite Track(s): Saturday Night Least Favourite Track(s): Believe
Really good I enjoyed a couple tracks. It sounds probably a bit too overproduced if that makes any sense but the writing and beat production is good.
On paper, this should be a great album with the blending of latin, rock, hip hop, etc. but somehow it still feels a little lifeless. It's latin only in stylistic sense, but packaged in a very overproduced, formulaic box. Worth listening to for sure, but I don't see myself returning to any of these tracks except maybe Saturday Night.
There is a lot of talent on display here. And I normally love eclectic albums, those that draw many styles together. Fishbone’s “Truth and Soul” from 1988 is a lifelong favorite. Ozomatli does this here with funk, rap, R&B, and more. However… the polished production wipes everything too clean. I could recognize the talent without fully embracing it…or feeling embraced by it. It really wasn’t until the last song, one where I don’t even speak the language, that I could really feel something personal. My 3/5 is subjective. I totally understand someone else walking away with a lot more delight in this album. Maybe they can feel what I don’t feel, speak its languages in a way I just can’t.
This is a very well produced album. I am not sure whether understanding the lyrics would enhance my appreciation or not, but Duolingo isn't helping. It is so, so much easier just to keep listening.
Only one song from this album is currently available on Spotify, and did like it. But maybe not enough to invest the time in tracking down the rest of it. An average three is what I'll give, purely in order to move on to the next selection.
This has a little bit of everything. Great blend of latin, alt rock, hip-hop, maybe even hints of jazz and R&B. Absolutely able to put this on and just enjoy.
I have heard the name over the years but was never into Latin music or songs in any foreign tongue. Multiple Grammy's and they're from L.A., I learned a lot. Not impressed with the listener counts for a 22 yr old album. I enjoyed the music for "Believe" but not the lead vocals (or the unnecessary American rapper). "Love And Hope" was all in English and was catchy, again the music is lively and Latin flavored. "(Who Discovered) America" could have been a Santana track. Chali 2na on "Who's To Blame" was a swing and a miss. There's an underlying message they're serving throughout the album. I just wasn't into their overall sound or the completely unnecessary rappers on every other tune. This has an audience, I enjoyed a lot of the music, but it's so polished it just didn't feel authentic. 3 stars
Good zest.
funky and good flow idk whats going on
This is fun, but it gets a bit boring. I like that they put a latin twist to funk rock, but every songs tends to sound the same unfortunately. It was fun to listen though.
The best I can say about this is that it’s not offensive
cooool
Pretty fun, would listen again
Love this album
3/5
3,5
There are only two songs on Spotify
Sure
Very little sounds more early aughties than this. It's multi-genre, fusion, whatever you want to call it: music that wants to be a lot of things. Sometimes that means a lot of upbeat Latin rhythms or Arab influenced strings or whatever. Sometimes it means cringe-rap. Embracing culture can be a beautiful fusion or it can be a misunderstanding of someone else's reality. This does a little of both. Honestly, musically a lot of this is very good, and it was very promising from the start. I think where it loses me is that it has a very After School Special vibe to it. A lot of the lyrics feel like a song shown on a high-school news broadcast, adults trying to talk about world problems in a hip cool way but managing to just sound corny. The best of this, then, is where they stick to Spanish, which I understand minimally and ergo cannot tell if the lyrics are similar vibes in another language. I think i was most taken by Dona Isabelle. A strong 3* but ultimately that"s where it lands
Highlights: Cuando Conto, Santiago, Love and Hope, Nadie de Tera, Saturday Night
Standouts Believe Saturday Night
Wasn't sure what to expect from this one. Found it a bit interesting.
A fun fusion of Latin American, Western rock, and Indian sounds. Was a very pleasant surprise hearing Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 fame popping up on track 5, too. I'd say that the rap heavy tracks were actually where this album shines. More of those and I'd be rating this album higher and adding it to the playlist. As it stands, it was interesting enough but won't live long in the memories.
Latin Rock/Hip-Hop with a middle eastern soundscape. Truly a worldly fusion :) Favorite track: Who discovered America? other picks: believe, saturday night
I've heard of these guys, maybe heard a track or two but not really listened to much. Good music. super fun.
A strange but intriguing mixture of genres indeed! Not on iTunes so had to listen on YouTube, with all the adverts not ideal, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Pues me ha alegrado la mañana
Man, there's a lot of dislike for this album in the reviews, and for what I can't really tell. It's not some world breaking genre fusion masterpiece, but it's fun pop music with basic latin influences. I'm actually surprised this wasn't on the radio more; maybe it was marketed poorly? The only thing this band is missing is a charismatic character that stands out, the rest of it is like a midwesterner's idea of "foreign" music, but performed really well and with a nice variety of instruments and voices. It's perfectly fine, don't get the hate. It's fun even. I liked Dejame En Paz the best with the punk breakdown at the end.
3.0 One of those rare ones where I couldn't find it on Spotify, not the full album on YouTube. Best I could do was listen to the one track that exists on Spotify, and then have a spin through their top songs. It's a shame, as I quite digged the one song from this album but the top tracks were a scattergun, some good, some bad. Not usually my thing but the upbeat tempo does bring a bit of joy. I can't imagine loving it, but it's nice to have a bit of variety.
Overall: 5/10 This is kind of a mishmash of a bunch of different genres. I had a decent enough time with it, even if there wasn't much of an emotional connection. Just a meh album that could be good to dance to. Fav Song: Te Estoy Buscando
First I’ve heard of them; catchy! Enjoyed it.
Þetta var bara nokkuð í lagi. Get ekki farið í fjórar, en hér er summan greinilega betri heldur en stök lög.
Hmm, interesting.
Never heard of these guys. You're hit with a nice blend of sounds and styles right off the bat: rock rap in several languages and cool latin/middle-eastern style themes. They're boy-band sounding at times. Even with all that going on, I kinda got bored pretty early. I was expecting similar types of fusion throughout the album, however, it quickly settles into its lane and stays there. Some of the vocals are a bit whiny. Some songs are pretty discordant at times. Standouts were "Believe" "(Who Discovered) America?" and "Ya Viene El Sol." Overall, Street Signs is pretty ok. It's fun. It's not anything crazy or memorable though. 3/5.
A fun and different album, but it can just be remembered for the hits like who discovered america
This one was hard to find, needed a VPN to put me in the US in order to hear a version of it on YouTube of average quality with ads in the middle and between songs. Not ideal. Wierd as though, like Brazilian pop meets middle eastern hip hop. Very unique, definitely a fun big band on stage feel but I probably won’t come back to it because it’s so hard to find.
Five star music. Would be much better with no English.
Helt okej men inte mer än så. Lite intetsägande, trots att det inte är musik jag normalt sett inte lyssnar på. Kul med Chali 2na. Svag trea.
I like the idea of these guys and their outlook on music and community, but their LA Latino mashup sound doesn’t really grab me.
Unfortunately I could only find 9 of the 13 tracks available to listen to. Lively Latin rock with good percussion and rhythm. Vocals are Spanish so it's difficult to comment on them. Overall a decent album.
Latino sounds with pop hooks. Some danceable rhytms and good variation. Not bad, but not anything I’d like to revisit ever again.
Þetta er töff á köflum og fínt í hófi, en ekki þesslegt að ég nenni að hlusta á aftur.
Enjoyed the mix of wawa, singing in mix english and spanish. Felt like Ricky Martin and Mana and also Sergent Garcia. Would definitely revisit it 3.5 Who discovered america?
Struggled to find the full album on either tidal or yt. What I heard was...ok? Bouncy latin flavoured hip hop. Reminded me of early Incubus hippie vibes, but nothing that deep. A 3, but based on very little.
Multi Culture group with a blend of Latin, Hip Hop, Reggae and Funk. Highlights: Love and Hope and (Who Discovered) America? 3.0
Mexican hip.hop jazz fusion. Ok.
Tough to find all of the songs here. Not bad or anything, but kind of wears you down a bit?
It barely passes for me because it has an undeniably unique sound but aside from the first few tracks the album doesn't do it for me.
Couldn't listen to the whole thing unfortunately, some songs didn't really do much for me but enjoyed the closer
51/100. This has a bit of everything. Latin, hip hop, funk, reggae, samba. You name it, it probably shows up at some point. The problem is the constant genre switching. It feels like every song takes a sharp turn into something completely different, which ends up killing the momentum for me. I actually enjoy samba hip hop a lot, so whenever that element popped up, I was locked in.
It was quite and ordeal to find a version of the album that was close to the original. I ended up on YT with some tracks replaced by live versions. But that's primarily not the fault of this list or the artists. Ok, back to the album: I kind of liked it, although this is usually not my kind of music.
Mixed bag of movie credits music, albeit with heart. Loved the rap songs and the Chali 2na collab, got a little too Santana Ft. Rob Thomas for my tastes other times. Three stars. Favorite Track: the unbridled aughts energy of the Saturday Night music video
Pretty great very dance-y. The lyrics were mostly positive and hopeful. I enjoyed this album but wasn't overly wow'd by it.
only the first song was on spotify but it seemed promising 😍
*Note: Not on Tidal, found on YouTube. Ads suck* This album has a fun mix of influences from musical styles throughout the world. Also, mixes up numerous genres with elements of hip-hop, funk, rock and soul. Musically this record all over the place. Mostly in a good way, but it does feel a little overdone at points. There are many danceable tracks throughout. I bet this band would be a riot to see live!
++: Believe, Love and Hope, (Who Discovered) America?, Who's to Blame, Saturday Night, Déjame en Paz, Nadie Te Tira +: Street Signs, Santiago, Doña Isabelle +-: Te Estoy Buscando, Ya Viene el Sol, Cuando Canto 6,9/10
Just meh I thought.
Listened to part of it
ganz nett
I definitely preferred the rap songs in this album, which isn't a surprise as I always enjoyed the little I'd heard Chali 2na in (mostly his contribution on Linkin Park's Reanimation). Overall it was decent, but whether it was worth VPNing into the US for, not so sure.
Like it 3/5
Bit of a struggle to listen (had to use YouTube). Interesting and you can see how this would be brilliant live.
Not enough of it on spotify for me to make a decision. The stuff I did hear seemed quite good?
Not my thing.
3⭐️/5 02.04.2026
Interesting. Based on the first song, I thought it was going to be middle eastern. Turns out it's Latin.
I found this to be a very colorful and fun album. Side A had some great blends of funk, pop, and hip hop with a Latin edge. I was reminded of ATCQ on some of the hip hop leaning songs too. The latter half delved into more Latin music, but remained colorful. I definitely was losing interest about halfway through the record, but it was a pleasant enough listen.
ehh
Here comes weird ahh latina stuff. also it sounds perfectly like what I would expect 3/5
"Street Signs" is the third studio album by American rock band Ozomatli. Rap rock, Chicano rock, funk, hip hop, Latin rock and world fusion are the Wiki-listed genres. They hit all those styles. The large band is Asdru Sierra (lead vocals, guitar, piano, trumpet), Raul Pacheco (vocals, guitar, jarano, tres), Justin "El Nino" Puree (rap, vocals, percussion), Jabulani "Jabu" Smith-Freeman (rap, vocals), Ulises Bella (vocals, keyboards, saxophone, melodica, requinto), Jiro Yamaguchi (vocals, percussion, tabla, arrangements), Willy "Wil-Dog" Abers (backing vocals, bass, arrangements), Sheffer Burton (trombone), Mario Calire (drums) and Rene "DJ Spinobi" Dominquez (turntables). The album reached #125 on the US Billboard 200 Album Chart and won the 2005 Grammy for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. A wah-wah guitar and handclaps open "Believe." Bass, drums and dramatic Middle Eastern horns. Spanish vocals and rapping in English urging listeners to take action in social change by voting. This sound is not far from the Afghan Whigs. Cowbells ring in "(Who Discovered) America?" A catchy Spanish vocal chorus. A searing guitar solo. I don't where but I have heard this song before. Horns set the melody in the first single "Saturday Night." Rattles and a rock guitar. The style changes to a funky beat and horn fills. Scratching. The community is getting ready for Saturday night. "Santiago" has a Spanish-sounding acoustic guitar. A Latin beat in more of a ballad. Piano and synth strikes. An ode to the patron saint of Spain? The one thing that stands out on this album is amount of styles the band incorporates: hip hop rapping, Latin, rock, Middle Eastern, Indian, classical, ballads, and even ska. There's a lot going on instrumentally with horns, synths, guitar, piano and various percussion. Nice we mixing and production. The lead and backing and vocals are loud and clear in English and Spanish. This lends to the uplifting and party-like tone. The lyrics tend to be calling out to the community to rise up and participate in change. Overall, this was an enjoyable album well worth the time spent listening to it.
Unfortunately, I could only listen to two tracks from the album, as my streaming service didn't have any more. But that's enough for a first impression. What I heard was quite interesting. It reminded me a little of the Oriental rock/pop music I hear blaring from some open car windows here. I find that quite amusing at times, but after a while it becomes a bit strange. So I won't be making an effort to listen to more of the album or the band. 3/5
While the music is catchy and well produced, this does not land with me simply because it is not my style.
Not my bag, to be fair. A little groovy.
not bad
Can’t really judge based on two songs on Spotify but I didn’t like the first song but the second was fine. Still 1 star probs Had to listen to the bootleg version with covers and missing songs but was quite enjoyable, a very good vibe and felt like 2000s rap in a few songs. Fav song: dajeme en paz and saturday night
Bunte Latin-Pop-Rap Mischung. Manches gefällt mir gut, manches ist nicht mein Geschmack. Insgesamt ok. 3/5
Funk, soul and so much more.
1/13/26. Enjoyable and different. 6.5/10
Fine
Good but not phenomenal. 3/5
DNF
"Street Signs" by Ozomatli is a mix of genres, but I found myself less keen on the hip-hop elements. It was an okay experience overall, but not one I’ll be adding to my regular rotation. Somewhat safe and nice. Three stars. This is the the second album on this list was a challenge to find in full. YouTube had most of the tracks. 208/1001 117/208 albums reviewed were new to me.
OK
3.0
This is an album from a group out of LA that I don’t know anything about. It’s a mix of hip hop, jazz, Spanish, and Latin music. It’s unlike anything else on the list so far. Overall it’s good, but not quite good enough for a four-star rating.
This is a fun album cover. I think I may have heard some of these songs before (yes!! per Wiki: "In October 2010, Ozomatli performed at the USC Presidential Rally with Barack Obama". It was so crowded all my photos from this event are just people's heads!!), but I guess they didn't make a huge impression. Still, nice to see a little Spanish language representation! The second half of the album was definitely better for me, maybe debido al idioma. Like a mildly funky Angeleno Linkin Park in the first half though. It's OK. Pleasant enough but no interest in a second listen. Like a 3.5. Highlight: Actually, I did like 'Déjame en Paz' for the sentiment, maybe I'd return to that one.
It took me a while to listen to this album as it's not on Spotify. My initial impression was very positive, but quickly dropped. There's too many ideas/genres being put into the pot and the result is something that's occasionally very good but is often a mess. Sometimes less is more.
It was alright
This is a very strange album. It takes the throw everything at the wall and see what sticks approach to songwriting. Sometimes there are some really unique and interesting ideas, but I also found a lot of it to just be a little boring. One of my personal problems with this album is the vocals. They are just too loud in the mix and don't blend well. I also think they seem a little too over processed. I do think the good outweighs the bad though and I did enjoy it for the most part. Mid 3.
Very strange Latin Rock or whatever. And yet another album whose sole claim to fame is being included in the book. Very eclectic mix of genres, without excelling in any of them. Not bad, but nothing more than a leftfield curiosity. Key tracks: Believe
It is a jarring album that I can't decide whether to hate or like. On one hand, it sounds like a bunch of horror movie props banging together, but on the other hand it's pretty well done and gives an eerie feeling.
I had fun listening to this but it didn't make me want to return to it
3.5 stars. 2000's Latin album that is at times pop/hip-hop/rap rock. "(Who Discovered) America?" feels like knockoff Santana. Standouts are "Saturday Night", a nostalgic memory with it's catchy chorus and "Dejame En Paz" a fun, uptempo Latin tune.
A bit repetitive at times but I really enjoy the fusion of different styles
I appreciate the melting pot aspects of this album, and I love the activist messaging. But I found myself wishing it were strictly Cumbia, samba etc. I didn’t have much need for the rock, rap or DJ aspects.
animated and quirky latin-inspired pop music. it's definitely a set of music suited for parties and big events... and judging from the youtube comments, it's the kind of sleazy latin pop that's found in movie soundtracks. if you're the kind of person perpetually stuck 20 years ago and you think living la vida loca is the greatest song ever made in history, you might like this album. a decent handful of tracks are nice, but a lot of it is annoying and similar sounding. dreamworks animated movie credits music cd, basically.
I would lean to give it a 3.5 for the variety of sounds. But this really had moments where I felt I had heard other artists do something similar but better.
I liked Ozomatli before I knew anything about hip hop or latin music so...
It was OK till the rapping started. But a good solid album, though not available on my streaming service.
A lot of people are going to love this album, but I just don't. It's a lot of fun, but the vibe reminds me of late '90s numetal, though without the trailer park machismo, thankfully. Not much more to say. Not bad, but not for me. Three stars.
I haven't heard about this band before, it's Latin pop mixed with rap, alternative rock and other genres. Quite an entertaining album, although sometimes I think less is more. I couldn't find a few songs on Youtube, which is rare cause so far (950+ albums) I've found all albums in full. 3stars.
I had heard "Saturday Night" from a lot of different things, I think it was in a Madden game, or maybe NHL. In any case, the rest of this album is solid. Nothing to write home about, but not terrible. 2.75 / 5 stars
Occasionally cringey in it's interpolation of modern aesthetics into more traditional Latino genres, there is no denying that this music gets you moving.
Some good stuff here, mostly due to Cut Chemist, but overall just highs and lows.
not much to see not on spotify
Finally, music featured in Hot Tub Time Machine, a major motion picture from MGM. Fine overall. Not quite my thing. Although I could see myself enjoying this at a music festival.
Wanted to like this more than I did, but aside from a few moments this didn’t grab me.
Another introduction to me. The album starts strong ("Believe", "Love And Hope", the Santana-like "Who discovered America?") but with further progress looses tension to me. Nonetheless I like the mood of this record and the brass instruments. I give it the weak three stars just because of the few sucker ("Saturday Night", ""...). 2,5
Fun and funky, with a very eclectic set of influences. The various streaming services clearly feel this is too much like a good time for them, as they've rendered it almost impossible to listen to in a coherent fashion. Anyway, it was fun, but we all know by now that I'm not really here for fun.
I couldn't listen to much of this as it was hard to get on streaming, but what I listened to was good. Very funky.
3.0 51:40 (13 tracks, 3rd album, 2004) Latin Hip Hop (U.S. band, LA) heavy salsa and jazz influences. English Spanish mix - not bad.
This caught me off-guard and I really enjoyed it. Most of the latin music on this project has been hard for me to get into, but I was really able to connect to the hybrid nature of this one. It really does sound like Los Angeles. I like the Santana inspired guitar with the hip hop beats and rap. As well as kind of nu-metal vocals. This was really cool.
Местами интересная музыка, местами не очень. 6 из 10.
Interesting.
It's pretty good if a little repetitive. Kind of like Miami Sounf Machine with guys signing, scratching and rapping.
I think this has been removed from Spotify, probably in one of those moronic protests
Nice
It was OK, not my favourite so far
i have warm opinions of them due to nostalgia and how much i enjoyed their first 2 albums. this one is certainly solid, a good first half and a better back half. might not reach to this album again, but it's not bad. it was a nice reminder to check back in with them: they have a really fascinating children's album, and their dubby covers album from 2017 is nice!
Different but in a good way.
From the bits I was able to find, it sounds like they were having a lovey old time. Shame that the whole album wasn’t available anywhere and I’m not sure if everything I found was actually part of the album. But I’ll go with vibes and give it a 3 that I hope it deserves.
I enjoyed all the Latin elements, especially the brass, and I like the idea of mixing up genres in theory. But, like another recent reviewer, I wasn't super-keen on the rap and nu-metal bits; I think I'd rather listen to pure salsa. Good to hear about their activism, though.
Ozomatli is a band that I only knew about from the fact that they once played a Phish festival in 1999. With that being said, I'm glad that I at least knew what I was getting myself into here. This is a record that is primarily latin and has hip hop and rock influences layered throughout. I'm Mexican-American, so I think it's a little pleasant to hear Spanish vocals though I don't seek them out. I spent a lot of my early life exposed to Spanish-language music so much that I got tired of it. But now I hear someone speak the language (cada día yo veo la destrucion) and I think it's cool to have that on a list like this. As for the record, I wouldn't return to it but it has nice stuff that prevents it from being a 2. There's potential in the material presented and I'm all for it, but not diehard if that makes any sense. It's a clever mixture of a variety of styles and that's good enough for the rating (6/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Expected to hate this, but some of it is OK.
This was awesome! Loved the mixture of genres here with Latin rock, a little hip-hop, a little jazz, and a little classical. My favorite track was the second-to-last one, "Nadie Te Tira" which had incredible piano work.
I've heard much better Latin albums that probably would have been better for this book
Prvič slišim za ta band & mam v bistvu problem najdit album. Spotify ma samo prve dva komada, Bandcamp nič, na youtube je playlista, sam bom plagued s stotimi addi. Evo, sm ga izbrskala nekje... Ok, začne (komad "Believe") se tko udarno, da me je skor fuknl s stola. Spet mam prenaglas zvočnik. Je pa tak, kul. Fak, kr ne najdemo boljše besede dons. Dobr vajb ma, dobr ritem. Uf, ne vem pa kok mi je všeč random rap vložek. Ful ga ne rab ta komad. Ta drug, "Love and Hope", mi je mal generičen. Angleščina ne pomaga. Mja, vsakič k je španščina, minje dejansko bolj. Nism tok fen random record scratchev (ampak! je blo izdano 2004, to je blo takrat fakin povsod. Ok, bom pripisala cajtu.). Lol, naslednji, "Street Signs", se literally začne z record scratchem. Ok, ta je očitno bl rap komad. (+ Očitno je to their thing, delajo musko v celmu rangeu žanrov). "(Who Discovered) America?" je spet večinsko v angleščini, kar mi spet ne sede tok za njih. (Na wiki piše, da so s tem albumom prvič bolj v angleščini tud - mogoč brezveze? Čist drug vajb da komadu. Tko k je men osebno slovenščina v veliki večini grozen jezik za glasbo. Ni mi speven - so redke izjeme komadov.) U, kr naenkrat namest latin vajba ful Middle-Eastern melodija (v "Who's To Blame)? Zanimiv. Mi je pa besedna zveza 'sexy thing' nagravžna & hilarious obenem. Naprej gre album nekak v to smer: latin ritmi; mal hip hopa; mal španščine; mal angleščine; celga fuka španščine in fuuul hiter ritem; kitarska baladica; fake live začetek in pozivanje k revoluciji; random minuta klavirja k se razvije v komad s kul ritmom, polno trobent & spet mal klavirja; baladast komad za zaključek albuma. Sj mi je bil čist všeč, ampak za ene par komadov, po sm pa skos se ujemala, da gledam na uro & preverjam, kok komadov morm še poslušat. Ne tok zame.
Starts fun and ends tiresome and kitschy 3.1
Interesting but not really my jam
I liked the instrumental side of it. I didn’t like some of the lyrics in the earlier tracks
Street Signs is a cultural kaleidoscope - vibrant, messy, and at times, thrillingly chaotic. Ozomatli blends Latin rhythms, hip-hop, Middle Eastern horns, and funk like they’re hosting a global block party. Tracks like “Saturday Night” hit hard with infectious energy, while others feel more like experimental detours than full songs. It’s ambitious, no doubt - but sometimes ambition trips over cohesion. A fun ride, but not always a smooth one.
Day636 - i don’t know why the first five songs are on the album but after they are done the album get significantly better
Not something I’d probably listen to on my own, but shoutout to this album list for producing a pretty fun one. A cool mix of styles. Like something I’d see at a festival.
Short
I hadn't heard of it before and I'm happy I listened to it. I do find many of the songs sound the same though.
Really unexpected blend of Latin music, salsa, funk, jazz and hip hop. Sounds like it wouldn't work, but it's actually pretty enjoyable stuff.
Not generally my thing, but the percussion on this album is amazing
Love Ozomatli, but hadn't heard this album before. Great fusion of sound styles.
A peppy, Latin-sounding album, 'Street Signs,' will keep you awake for a long car drive. This album has songs that will fit most movie's Cuban scenes. A good horn sound elevates this three star album. Top tracks: "Who's to Blame," "Believe," "Cuando Canto"
This was fun as hell! Enjoyed it quite a bit, the eclectic overtones were tons of fun and loved going thru different styles. Great lyrics and fantastic vibes throughout. Solid ass 3.
--Believe...interesting! --Love and Hope...solid groove --Street Signs...the groove continues --(Who Discovered) America?...a little cheesy --Who's To Blame...is that a melodica? it's dope. great flow --Te Estoy Buscando...not my cuppa --Saturday Night...It's decent. I like when the distorted guitar comes in --Dejame en Paz...directed by Robert Rodriguez --Santiago...I appreciate classical guitar where I can get it. piano groove is nice, too --Ya Viene el Sol...is that Don Callis at the beginning? can't be --Dona Isabelle...piano interlude --Nadie Te Tira...something with more prog elements. I might like it more if this album weren't already running a little long. --Cuando Canto...we close with a ballad. it's nice but could easily be a minute shorter
Rating: 6/10 An eclectic album that does not blow the listener away in any way, shape, or form. Just a good album from start to finish.
Wasn't sure what to make of this album. One moment it sounds Middle Eastern, then it's rap, then it's salsa/Latino jazz, then it's Latin Rock, then it's Santana, then it's jazz fusion...it's not bad, it's just all over the place. The band is clearly really good and the recording quality is excellent, I'm just not sure why it made this list (and it has since been removed). Nothing bad, just nothing I'd revisit. Favorite tracks: Believe, Saturday Night, Ya Viene el Sol (great drums). By the way, when they were playing more Latino Rock style, I kept thinking of the Austin-based band Vallejo. Check them out - Alternative Tejano hard rock, much cooler than this album. I recommend either Into the New or Stereo.
SPANISH DAD ROCK WITH RAP?? Sign me up. Great concept but not super memorable in the end.
Good blend of world cafe with some hip hop.
Decent album. It's pretty fun at times. I like the energy and the mix of genres. Kind of bland at times though. Also I'm tired so that impacts my experience.
Quite liked this actually. Any Chali 2na gets my vote
Interesting mix here
This is on me, but i struggled to engage with this due to its lack of availability. I found it on youtube, but it kept cutting out and being bombed by ads. What i heard was perfectly fine, but i wasnt able to focus on it and thats my bad
Not every song was available on spotify/youtube (though 90% were), but I liked it based on the ones that were.
couldn’t listen to whole album, only 2 songs on spotify and 9 on youtube. Anyway album is decent, Santiago is a peak song, why can’t i spotify it :( Believe is also pretty good. Not normally down my alley but pretty good for a different genre
Decent
Mostly not very interesting. Some interesting tracks, like "Déjame en Paz", though.
That was cool
This album was a chore to listen to, having to piece together from random YouTube videos, some of which were just live recordings. I’m glad I did though, as this was a bizarre little mashup of a lot of different Latin music styles with some great rapping and hiphop beats laid over the top.
This is like being trapped in a hippie drum circle... Don't know that I needed to listen to this. It ends up fun though. So I’ll go 3 stars.
Ok latin grooves.
Verdorie, altijd vervelend om extra moeite te moeten doen om een album te luisteren. Maar goed, dan word je er wel weer even aan herinnerd hoeveel mazzel we tegenwoordig hebben dat het echt een uitzondering is als een album niet op Spotify staat. En zelfs dan staat het eigenlijk altijd wel ergens op Youtube ofzo. Nu de muziek; het is een soort mengelmoes met samba, hiphop, latin, funk? Klinkt best wel geinig, wel jammer dat de rap niet heeeeel sterk is. Ik weet zelf veel te weinig van latin om daar over te oordelen dus vind dat best geinig, maar ik heb een vermoeden dat dat ook niet heel sterk is als je wat meer in die materie zit. Komen we dus weer een beetje bij een Wereldrestaurant/all you can eat concept vergelijking uit; Als je bijna alles bij elkaar dondert is het grootste deel prima, maar niets echt goed. Er springen zeker wel wat nummers uit en de combi van latin/funk en hiphop is wel echt iets waar ik heil in zie en verder uitgezocht zou willen zien. Helaas is Ozomatli niet de beste om dit te doen, maar het is zeker een vermakelijk album geworden en wel eentje die ik een soort van zou aanraden aan liefhebbers van de losse genres. Verwacht alleen geen wereldschokkend album. FAVO: Love and Hope, Ya Viene el Sol
Liked it more than I thought I would. 3.3
Aight
The REAL america
Not my genre, but very listenable and super catchy, particularly (who discovered) America which also happens to be an excellent allegorical, satirical take on the European colonization of America. Giving Santana with more of a political bent. A good start to this journey and a taste of what’s to come!
8/7/25. I remember the track Saturday Night from way back, but never listened to the full album. Great energy and diversity in the songs. Will need a few more listens, but think it’s aged well since it’s 2004 release.
Fun Latin music, often with hip hop elements