Gotcha

DLG | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 27, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 20, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony U.S. Latin
• ASIN: B00000IOPT
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,583 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From Jazziz

By anyone's estimation, 1999 was the year that Latin music hit the mainstream. Or at least Latin musicians did. Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and Enrique Iglesias sold millions of English-language albums - recordings by and large neutered of Latin rhythm and tradition - and carved out a place for gorgeous, bilingual Latino stars on the pop charts. On the other side stood the senior citizens of the Buena Vista Social Club, who upheld the music's Cuban roots while at the same time minting vintage Latin music as a lifestyle accessory. And into the breach created by the Latin Explosion of '99 tumbled most of Latin dance music's heavy hitters and respective veterans. Ironically, with the flurry of attention directed toward crossover stars, modern Latin music was more than ever speaking the wrong language. So you can be forgiven for missing DLG's third album, even though, like La Lopez and friends, DLG's Huey, James, and Fraga are representative young, urban Latinos. And you may not have realized that, like the Buena Vista Social Club, Gotcha honors the roots of Latin music, be they in Cuban son, rumba, or Dominican bachata. Gotcha's tracks unfold along the patterns of Latin dance music, but each song takes the music in another direction. Producer Sergio George folds reggae beats into the polyrhythms, introduces rustic elements like bachata guitars atop retro-kitsch synthesizers, sets drum machines to chatter amid a huge tropical percussion section. Even the overpowering electronic beats of Latin house are shown up by George's own vampy piano and live drumming. DLG has been a work in progress for George, Latin music's most innovative producer, who first conceived of the group as an audacious urban Latino hybrid. George punched up the drums, hip-hop style, added a bilingual dancehall rapper, and a histrionic singer who could melt into Mariah Carey-style melismas as well as improvise in the Latin cantante tradition. DLG's self-titled debut featured chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter songs that veered between salsa and rap. But over the course of another album and continuous touring - not to mention George's experiments becoming co-opted by everyone in the business - the elements fused. On Gotcha, the boys tellingly cover the 1966 classic "Boogaloo Blues," harking back to the last time Latin and pop music danced so close. "Got a Hook on You (DLG Blues)" is a bilingual, house-inflected, send-up of retro styles and street beats that DLG tear into with glee. The Latin-soul moment of the late '60s was short-lived, unplugged by salsa artists threatened by singing in English and swinging the clave. As DLG's Gotcha demonstrates, that doesn't seem to be the case this time, and we can only wait to see where the dance goes from here.

--Mark Schwartz, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Esta pegao!, November 23, 1999

By 

Todd (St. Louis, MO, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gotcha (Audio CD)

With Gotcha, DLG is showing that they can cover all styles, up to and including bachata. Each album impresses me with the ease in which they handle, blend, and move back and forth between salsa, R&B, hip hop, house, reggae, and now bachata. The neoyorkino feel for all these flavors is evident, and they seem just as strong with any of the styles. My favorites include 'Angeles', 'Gotcha'. 'A Veces Me Pregunto', and 'Eres Mi Vida'. Fraga's raps flow seamlessly on that last track, and Huey and James always show and prove. Plus I think it's dope that they're bringing Chika and Cyndi to the forefront as well, letting them show skills. The result is a CD that's got something for everyone and can turn you on to different styles that you may not have been a fan of previously. Chacho, este CD esta pegao!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DLG got a hook on me, por supuesto!, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gotcha (Audio CD)

I have all three of these guys albums and am proud to add Gotcha! to my collection. All I got to say is they better be nominated for a Grammy this year, and they better win. The only song I can complain about on the album is Angeles, the cheesy theme song from the Telemundo "drama." It sounds like a cheesy knock off of the "Love Boat" theme. Just skip that one and listen to the other nine songs. Volvere makes me cry, Acuyeye makes me tap my toes, Gotcha! makes me merengue, and Huey makes me swoon. He has the most incredible, expressive, silky, sexy, romantic, sincere, tortured voice I have ever heard. You all should all listen to this album and buy it as soon as you can. I look forward to buying their English language album scheduled for release in January of 2000. Swing on, guys!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great fusion!, March 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gotcha (Audio CD)

This work is pure synergy, the combined energy of hip hop, caribbean, rap and latin rythms combined to create explosive beauty. All songs are not to the level of De Oro and Acuyuye, but then again, those two are so great they'll keep some of us impatiently waiting for their next album.