Africa Speaks
| Santana
Africa Speaks
Africa Speaks is the twenty-fifth studio album by American rock band Santana, released on June 7, 2019 by Concord Records and Suretone Records. Africa Speaks is inspired by music from the continent of Africa, and has been called a "unique fusion of rock, Latin and jazz". Many of the album's tracks were recorded in one take. The album features vocals from Spanish singer Buika.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Rolling Stone
June 7, 2019. Although Africa Speaks sounds undeniably like a Santana album, with Carlos’ fiery guitar bursts and reedy-voiced singer Buika’s Spanish-language exclamaciones, it explodes from the start with African rhythms and a unique freedom to the way the group plays the songs.
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Rock and Blues Muse
June 3, 2019. Together Santana and Rubin have created what might well become yet another career highlight for both of them. Taken together, these tracks transport you to someplace new by reconnecting you to some of the oldest ideas and grooves that exist. The result is a collection that will remind anyone who is willing to listen of our shared humanity and common origins.
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AllMusic
June 7, 2019. Africa Speaks is breathtaking in terms of energy and scope of vision. . . . Africa Speaks is the surprise of 2019, the album Carlos has been desiring to make for decades but was unable to given contract restrictions -- Concord offered complete artistic freedom. He, Buika, and the Santana band made the most of it.
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Glide Magazine
June 6, 2019. Clearly the collaboration between Carlos Santana and producer Rubin, the man who co-founded Def Jam Records . . . is a mutually fruitful one, because right through to the conclusion, “Candome Cumbele,” this record sounds all the more potent for its cooperative focus.
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Spill Magazine
Africa Speaks is a true masterpiece – something that Santana, even well over fifty years into his career, seems to turn out effortlessly.
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Datebook
June 6, 2019. Santana remains a fearless adventurer on ‘Africa Speaks’.
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Relix
June 5, 2019. “All and everything was conceived here in Africa: the cradle of civilization.” Carlos Santana speaks these words during the introductory title track of his new album, Africa Speaks , part of an invocation that invites listeners into his world of African-inspired rhythms, searing guitar and powerful vocals.
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Tahoe Onstage
June 4, 2019. Every song contains hooks that sink in deep and intoxicate fully. Carlos Santana’s trajectory continues to climb, and climb steeply. The making of “Africa Speaks” was a bold move that succeeded wildly.
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Amnplify
June 6, 2019. The legendary rock n roll hall of fame guitarist and his phenomenal band, along with Spanish singer Buika and respected producer Rick Rubin, deliver one amazing album!
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Stereogum
June 3, 2019. The music on Africa Speaks is raw and powerful, and makes absolutely no concessions to radio . . . .
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Cryptic Rock
June 4, 2019. . . . Africa Speaks is an album that gives an often unsung culture a voice and hope for a more harmonious future. A super interesting concept that captures you for well over one hour.
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People
On Friday the guitar legend will release his latest album, Africa Speaks, a Rick Rubin-produced venture that blends his familiar Latin roots and Bay Area psychedelia with the sounds and rhythms from the African continent. Santana’s virtuosic playing is complimented by Spanish jazz singer Buika, who adds her bewitching vocals to a number of the album’s tracks.
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Best Classic Bands
Produced by Rick Rubin, the album, according to the announcement, “goes deeper and further than ever before to create one of the most groundbreaking albums yet.”
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The A List
June 7, 2019. Get your groove on to this beautiful nod of the hat to the African continent and its musical heritage by one of the greatest guitarists in the biz.
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The Rockpit
April 24, 2019. Santana Takes Listeners On An Unforgettable Adventure On Thrilling New Album ‘Africa Speaks’.
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The Arts Desk
June 2, 2019. The legendary guitarist gets personal and has fun doing it.
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Elusive Disc
Santana, now 50 years into his remarkable career, has succeeded in creating a compelling, energy infused album. A vision that transcends generational, cultural and geographical boundaries. It will rank as one of his most important and memorable works.
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Mshale
June 14, 2019. . . . Santana has teamed up with the Spanish singer Buika to form a more cohesive unit, and produce an album inspired by Africa. The result is an hour of dazzling vocals, Santana’s trademark incendiary guitar lines and heady breakdowns.
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Rock Cellar
June 7, 2019. Today, June 7, Santana returned with a new album — but Africa Speaks isn’t just another album of classic guitar sounds and pulsating Latin beats from Carlos and his band. No, this record, which features vocals from Spanish singer Buika throughout most of its tracks, is a worldly, eclectic affair. Rhythmic drums and a strong passion for the art at hand is what’s on display here, and it’s truly a strong listen from start to finish.
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Hi-Res Edition
June 19, 2019. Africa Speaks is a welcome surprise in 2019, and apparently is the album Carlos Santana has been wishing to make for a couple of decades. Highly recommended for fans of Santana, audiophiles seeking top shelf recordings, and anyone who is adventurous enough and willing to travel the globe while listening from the comfort of their home.
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Music In Africa
June 21, 2019. Africa Speaks is heavily influenced by African melodies, sounds and rhythms, and is voiced by Spanish singer Buika. Africa Speaks' instrumentation has been hailed since the album's release and features Cindy Blackman Santana (drums) and Benny Rietveld (bass), among others. Ismaël Lô bears a composer's credit on the album, which could stand in line for next year's Grammys.
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laut.de
June 7, 2019. . . . the former Samba expert is picking up on what he already noticed and what he wanted to know more precisely: that Africa finds itself with polyrhythmic and voodoo trance in Brazilian or Cuban music. And conversely, elements from Latin America and the Caribbean penetrated into traditional African music and afrobeat, eg with call & response vocals and rumba rhythms.
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TheUrbanMusicScene
June 19, 2019. On Africa Speaks, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist goes deeper and further than ever before to create one of his most groundbreaking albums yet.
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Rolling Stone.de
June 12, 2019. "Africa Speaks" is an admirable effort by the master guitarist, who expresses his love for the musical legacy of the African continent.
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Classic Rock
July 20, 2019. it goes to where the rhythms and harmonies of rock music once came from and, as Carlos Santana tells in the intro, was the cradle of civilization: to Africa. Percussion grooves, Spanish-African vocals . . . and, of course, the unmistakable singing guitar of the master himself - inspired by the musical understanding of John Coltrane - lead to a rousing melange and the best Santana album in a long time.
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SoundStage! Access
August 1, 2019. The rhythmic complexity and variety of musical styles on Africa Speaks push Carlos Santana into some of his best, most inventive playing in years. But while it’s his name that appears above the title, this album is also Buika’s. With her strong voice she expresses a wide range of feelings, from joy to rage, with conviction and heart.
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Just Listen To This
August 7, 2019. The multiplicity of languages used throughout this release may not appeal to all, but as an excursion into geographical wonderment by truly inspired musicians this is a train worth boarding…
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Music Mayhem Magazine
June 19, 2019. On Africa Speaks, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist goes deeper and further than ever before to create one of his most groundbreaking albums yet.
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Davy Sims
August, 2019. THIS WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD ALBUM if it were not of Carlos Santana noodling all over every track filling in the silences like a three year old with a crayon and a book filling in the o, p, d, bs. Music is often about what is absent, not filling in with unnecessary guitar.
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Lust for Life Magazine
June 7, 2019. Africa Speaks is the work of a man who likes to dwell on a historical event like Woodstock - not for nothing did he get caught up in two commemorative festivals in America - but who also continues to explore new musical terrain. And that graces him.
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Muen Magazine
June 30, 2019. The combination of Buika’s vocal talents with the talents of Santana and his fellow musicians goes a long way toward making the album in whole a strong, interesting new offering from the group. It is a record that says loud and clear, Carlos Santana and company are still among the music industry’s elite acts.
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Nieuweplaat.nl
June 12, 2019. The music is what you can expect from Santana, sharp guitars and a wonderful South American rhythm. And on this album you will also find African influences. At times this album is reminiscent of his 1970 album Abraxas . So it is not that groundbreaking. That does not alter the fact that it is a good album that sounds nice, . . . .
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Tinnitist
June 7, 2019. The Latin-rock guitar hero teams with Rick Rubin for an African-inspired affair.
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Hi-Fi Way
July 7, 2019. Africa Speaks has a mix of African, Latino and Jazzy beats with traditional Santana guitar jams and a certain live feel when you listen to it. While some might not connect with the African tone of this album there is enough of Santana to make it a great album.
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Metal1.info
Eleven of these tracks, which combine rock, salsa, blues, mambo and jazz, made it to the longplayer and, as the title suggests, were inspired by the music of the African continent. As a SANTANA album a good release, as an African tribute, it is questionable to look at.
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rockol.it
June 8, 2019. . . . a record in which the guitarist mixes African music with Latin rock, rock-blues, funk, fusion, old psychedelia. While not containing memorable songs, nor inventions out of the ordinary, the album convinces by the strength of the performances, the rhythmic charge, the joyful fury.
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World Rock
Africa Speaks is a masterful performance by Carlos Santana. Inspired by Africa, this is "the only fusion between Rock, Latin and Jazz".
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The Afterword
June 19, 2019. Where do I place this? Right at the pinnacle – as good as if not better than Abraxas which is my favourite Santana album. I think you can tell I love this album from start to finish – no missteps, no filler.
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Mpodia
June, 2019. Now Carlos is going to play the African part of the world. The Latin American rhythms are being replaced by African drum parts and Concha Buika provides the vocal parts. The man always knows how to surprise and does not want to be put in a box, but does want to bring top quality music.
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Australian Musician
June 5, 2019. To begin the album, African drums converse with Carlos’ exotic guitar licks and Buika’s captivating voice in a musical call to arms, signalling an invitation to join them in a joyous journey of irresistible rock, latin, and afro beats. It’s a dynamic album, shifting effortlessly from familiar Woodstock-era rock rhythms to sambas, ballads, funk and gospel flavours.
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Thom Carnell
From the first notes of the guitar, you know this is a Santana record; the tone, the phrasing… but… overall, this one was meh for me.
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The Blade
Much like African music itself, the disc is often joyous and inspirational. It’s a rich and satisfying effort by one of the world’s greatest guitarists.
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