The Revolution Presents Revolution

The all star producers are Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim), Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Bebel Gilberto), Stan Kybert (Oasis, Paul Weller), Cameron McVey (Massive Attack, Neneh Cherry), Marius DeVries (Rufus Wainwright, David Gray), Rich File (UNKLE) and Poet Name Life (Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Pharell).

Revolution vocalists include Roisin Murphy, Cuban hip hoppers Anónimo Consejo, Orishas and Lateef, diva Ariday Vega Martín and vocal quartet Sexto Sentido, known as Cuba’s Destiny’s Child. Also present in rising vocal star Jenna G, known for her searing vocals gracing club and chart  hits by the Shapeshifters and Un-Cut.

At times brooding and sinister, at times a joyful and energizing affair, The Revolution presents Revolution consists of entirely original material taking in soul, reggae, house, old school hip hop, jazz, pop, dancehall and the many styles of Latin music.

The story

Some of the world’s most respected producers travelled to Havana and met with the cream of Cuba’s rising musical talent, exchanging ideas on arrangement, rhythm, melody, and production before recording in the legendary EGREM studios, which has also played host to the widely loved Buena Vista Social Club.

A short walk around Havana will soon show how polarised the post millennial Cuban music scene is. On the one hand, almost every bar, hotel and club band will be pumping out retreads of ‘Buena Vista’ standards for a massive tourist market with dated, sepia toned expectations of what Cuban music should be.

Meanwhile, the youth on the streets are tuning into Miami radio for reggaeton beats, or checking out the latest CDR of homegrown hip hop.  Young professional Cuban musicians are in stalemate: to make a living, they’re obliged to play endless versions of songs written one, two or even three generations before they were born. Many of them loathe what their peers are listening to, preferring instead to play progressive jazz or elaborate jazz rock fusion to show off their chops. Which neither the gringos nor the majority of young Cubans want to hear.

“There’s a kind of stagnation,” says executive producer Zack Winfield, whose many trips to Cuba in recent years have convinced him that things there weren’t going to move anywhere fast without some novel input from abroad. “So our question was: ten years after ‘Buena Vista’, what’s the next evolution? How do you get these young guys to broaden their minds and to explore when their only real source of cash is in hotel bands playing Buena Vista tunes?”


He and his colleague Ado Yoshizaki dreamt up the idea of marrying the extraordinary skills and talent of the cream of Cuba’s young musicians with the know-how of cutting edge producers from the UK and US. Then producer-manager Tim Hole came on board and the project really started to take shape.

It’s from this idea that Revolution was born. As things progressed, they threw in few other wild cards, like former Moloko singer Roisin Murphy and emerging talent Jenna G. Also on board were expat Cuban hip hop act Orishas. Their genesis in Paris has meant they see and hear things differently from local hip hop groups, so their involvement in Revolution really was all about ‘bringing it all back home’.

“They have such little influence from anything outside Cuba”, says Zack Winfield, “so this was a real attempt to take all these incredibly talented young guys, shape them into something, teach them things, share in their experiences and bring all their talent to the knowledge and wisdom of experienced producer. And also to see whether that would inspire them to start creating something new for themselves.”

The Revolution was the result, and their contributions can be heard on every song on the album, two from each of six producers, all bringing different spins on contemporary styles. Norman Cook (a.k.a Fatboy Slim) is a legend in his own lifetime and needs little introduction.

Guy Sigsworth is best known for his work with Björk, Madonna and Alanis Morrissette. Marius De Vries’ diverse projects have ranged from the Sugarcubes to the Sugarbabes. Cameron McVey and Jan ‘Stan’ Kybert together brought their experience with the likes of Massive Attack, All Saints and Neneh Cherry.

South Londoner Rich File has worked with James Lavelle as part of U.N.K.L.E. and co-wrote the score for the film Sexy Beast, and Poet Name Life brought his stateside experience working with Black Eyed Peas Public Enemy, The Roots, Pharell, Pete Rock, Slum Village and many more.

Among the many Cuban players who make up The Revolution, the duo Anónimo Consejo represent Havana’s grass roots hip hop scene. Then there’s Ariday Vega Martín, who wrote and sang her contribution with astonishing speed and skill. Last but most certainly not least, the vocal quartet Sexto Sentido seem to have been the major discovery of the project: “We call them ‘Cuba’s Destiny’s Child’, chuckles Zack. “They light up a room when they walk in and sing perfect four-part harmonies live.” Although well schooled in Cuban harmonies, they weren’t bound by them, coming up with their own R&B influenced melody lines without prompting. It’s this kind of interaction the team behind Revolution were looking for. Looks like they found it.

www.rapsterrecords.com/therevolution

1. The Revolution & Norman Cook ft. Lateef the Truth Speaker -Shelter
2. The Revolution & Guy Sigsworth - Crazy Love
3. The Revolution & Guy Sigsworth - Cuba Boom
4. The Revolution & Marius DeVries ft. Roisin Murphy - Yellow Moon
5. The Revolution & Norman Cook - Siente Mi Ritmo
6. The Revolution, Cameron McVey & Stan Kybert - You Wouldn't Want To Be Me
7. The Revolution & Rich File - Lies
8. The Revolution & Poet Name Life ft. Orishas - Me
9. The Revolution & Poet Name Life - Dark House Love
10. The Revolution & Marius DeVries - Guantanamero
11. The Revolution, Cameron McVey & Stan Kybert ft. Jenna G - Black Dollar
12. The Revolution & Rich File - In Time