While lounge music first originated as background music at fashionable, red carpet restaurants, it has now become a serious genre of its own. Although this genre that combines electronica, jazz, bossa nova and dub has become worn out through the emergence of St. Germain copycats and wannabe Ibiza DJs, The Latin Project has landed a groundbreaking release with "Nueva Musica." This album mixes the traditional roots and modern variations of Latin music and creates a sound that is utterly hip and of the moment. Jez Colin and Matt Cooper collaborate with guest vocals and musicians to serve up ten refreshing tracks born under the Californian sun. This eclectic compilation of sexy summer jams will make you want to put your shades on and sip a Sex on the Beach.The Opener "Lei Lo Lai" is a nice warm-up that prepares the listener for the more intense numbers that follow. The Spanish guitar, drums and horns are wonderfully assembled into a groovy Latin-flavored house track. Freddie Crespo, a Grammy nominee and former bandmate of the late Tito Puente, has crisp vocals that add a hint of salsa to this delicious number. The following track "En Fuego" brings the heat up a few notches with Arabic chanting and a bouncy backbeat. Marc Antoine's deft "guitarra flamenca" skills and the intricate layering of sounds make this track one of the strongest and most sophisticated in the album.
There are a couple songs that serve as breathers between the heavier dance tracks. "Musica de Amor" is a funky jazz number laden with a healthy doze of conga, trumpet and keyboard. There is an irresistible dialogue between Crespo and Creste, whose feminine vocals make this song incredibly smooth and seductive. Although this song does not stand out from the rest, Cooper's percussion and Colin's technical flair come together in a tight unit. "Estoy" sounds like a cross between dub and Hindu yoga music, resulting in a languid song that could have easily been pulled out of Bonobo's "Animal Magic."

The remaining tracks are not short of outstanding. "Universal" and "Brazilian Love Affair" are both ambient tracks that crescendo into a frenzy of carnivalesque samba percussion. Some attention ought to be paid to Colin's electric bass action and master programming skills in the latter song. Cooper's excellent drumming and keyboarding come into play during "Clouds" and "Sonhando." The next track, "Windows," a Samba-meets-electronica song, is both written and sung by Sananda, who most people know as R&B prince Terence Trent D'Arby.
If one is to go fishing for faults, this album, in its attempt to be multifaceted and experimental, ends up being slightly incoherent. Colin and Cooper have no problem mixing and matching different genres within each track, but the album as a whole is choppy and confusing. Nevertheless, something must be said for the resourcefulness of The Latin Project.

This is, hands down, one of the best contemporary dance acts this year. Grab this album and you won't have to worry about hiring a DJ for your next bash.