DVD/CD Review: The Grand Unification by Melodico and Lankino

The Grand Unification, Vol.1 by Melodico and Lankino is an album of upbeat Reggaeton fused with elements of New Zealand Hip-Hop and Reggae.

Jason Lankino is a Sri Lanka-born musician based in Auckland who found inspiration for his brand of music on his travels across Mexico, Cuba and Brazil where he explored several different Latin musical traditions and sounds.

Jason seems to be the man behind the helm of this project with production credits going to Christchurch-based Chilean producer Mauricio ‘Melodiko’ Ravet.

The album has had international success with Sunshine a breezy reggae tune, reaching Number 1 on Sri Lanka’s Yes101 Homegrown Top15 charts in July 2015, along with Roots in the Top 10. Also Under Pressure received airplay in Washington DC-based Cacoteo FM, LA’s Latino 96.3FM, Mexico City, Hong Kong and in several European urban music stations.

A documentary was also filmed that captures a ‘day in the life of’ Lankino with special performances by other artists connected to the theme of the film, including Jennifer Zea, another New Zealand musician of Venezuelan heritage, Jinetero MC of Cuban descent, and also a special feature by the Nigerian artist Jay Cee (Goody Goody Records) of ‘Kerewa’ fame.

The idea behind the album was to fuse the sounds of the different cultures that Jason’s life has exposed him to and the album has moments of New Zealand rap like in the song Under Pressure that help tie in the Latin sound to New Zealand. In fact it could be the first Latin American album completely written and recorded in New Zealand.

Lankino’s sound in parts is reminiscent of Reggaeton artist Don Omar and auto tune is used heavily on the vocals throughout the album. I did think it would have been nice to have had some less effected vocals here and there.

The vibe of the album is uplifting and positive and inspires visions of sun drenched South American beaches and steamy dance floors filled with gorgeous Latin dancers. A lot of the album is in Spanish or Portuguese. I’m not sure which and it is definitely music that would inspire some fierce booty shaking.

Latin music and Reggaeton isn’t hugely popular in New Zealand and I’m not sure how the average Urban/Hip-Hop listening kiwi would relate to this album. The Latin sound may be considered a little “fruity” for some but there are moments of grit and raw aggression on the album more typically associated with western urban music and the mixture of unusual accents gives the project a very international feel.

I think because the album is so diverse in its styles and encompasses so many nationalities and sounds it is either going to appeal to a very wide audience or run the risk of alienating a lot of listeners. I think this is the gamble that comes with fusion music, but I’d say the fact that it’s had international successes speaks for itself.