Bosq is Ben Woods, who created a mish-mash of Latin, African and American (particularly funk, disco and hip-hop) sounds from his home base of Boston. Three years ago he decided to move to Medellin to truly immerse himself in the music he loves.

Bosq Y Su Descarga Internacional (self-released)

This set reveals the depth of that immersion. Each track is a collaboration, both with long-time collaborator Kaleta and a long list of Colombian standouts. The beats are sinewy, bouncy and throbbing--sometimes all at once. There might be a little cumbia, a little Afrofunk and plenty more bounding along.

Woods assembles the music. His vocal collaborators supply the lyrics. This isn't Afrobeat, and it isn't Latin music, either. There's too much of everything to put Bosq into a category. Oh, I suppose the tired "world" label works, but what is that saying, exactly?

I dunno. Maybe the breadth and depth of this sound makes this one of the few albums that actually fulfills the promise of the "world music" label. Drawing from the traditions of at least four contintents (I couldn't detect much Asian or Australian influence, though I am most willing to be corrected), Bosq has created music that ought to find appeal just about anywhere. It is impure to its very soul, and that's why it cooks so well. Get down.

Jon Worley