The pub/club of all things Moroccan have finally succumbed to the pressure that seems to dictate that any club worth their salt have to release their own compilation album (see Ministry of Sound, Cream etc.) Luckily the Po have managed to steer clear of a regurgitation of every other dance compilation out there and have given us something which actually seems to capture the African tinged ambience that the clubs themselves aim at. CD 1 is a look at the roots of the Po Na Na influences, from Cuban legend Cachaito (Buena Vista Social Club) to Mexican/American rap artist Kid Frost and the fantastic Manu Chao. Meanwhile, CD 2 looks at the modern house music inspired by more ethnic sounds, while the first CD was my personal favourite; I was not particularly averse to the more eclectic funky house tracks. While most of the artists are still from backgrounds such as the Brazilian and African dance scenes, there are a couple of "mainstream" tracks on there (see the remix of Sonique's "It Feels So Good" which actually makes it sound like a good song).
All in all, quite possibly the most unusual club compilation out there, and that is not a bad thing.
Douglas Cook