Albums: Bacao Rhythm And Steel Band BRSB

The warm sound of Trinidad and Tobago resounds on the fourth album release from Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band on a set that includes new compositions mixed in with some intriguing covers. Part of the allure of a new album from the band is not knowing what songs they will stamp their influences on.

Album opener In The Crosshairs serves up a tough mid-tempo, taking the pace higher, while both Grilled and Treasure Quest deliver a heavy African funk workout. The band decides to go deeper with Hazy Memories on a bass-heavy slow burner that brings to mind long and hot summer days. 

There is a tribute to hip hop that starts with a near-familiar cover of Dr Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg’s ‘Nuthin But A G Thang and Tupac’s Got My Mind Made Up, along with a reimagined version of Drake’s Hotline Bling, which sounds even better than the original version as the band takes the song to a higher level.

By the time the album concludes with The Champion’s Walk, Bacao has covered a myriad of energies, tempos, and moods, and the band continues to build their legacy and push the boundaries of steel pan music. If the album sounds as good as this in the depths of winter, then come summer, the band deserves to become one of the most name-checked in 2024.