Albums

Buraka Som Sistema - Black Diamond

Ash Akhtar 17/11/2008

Rating: 4/5

Hotter than Nando's, sexier than the Algarve and dirtier than Big Phil Scolari's tactics - it appears that Portugal have finally given us something worth celebrating.

Featuring a horde of Portugese guests that you will most likely never heard of and a couple of British stars that you should have (Kano and M.I.A), Black Diamond is filled with scuzzy synths and African rhythms wrapped up in house grooves to jack your body to.

Variation on the album appears on IC19 which features some heavy dubstep winding up to some old school rave beats and the guitars on General conjur up the spirit of a digital Africa. There's some abrasive MCing all over the album and though delivered in Portuguese, it never fails to detract from the carnival spirit and overriding exuberance that is integral to Black Diamond. This record will set your pulse racing - and at this time of year, that's no mean feat.