Mendes Brothers - Torri Di Control

All Music Guide

This album is the follow-up to the 1995 Bandera. It is a continuation of the musical genre developed in the previous album. The majority of the album is dancefloor-geared compositions. The Mendes Brothers are always seeking to stretch the boundaries of Cape Verdean music. They are adept at connecting the music of their homeland with other Lusafrican rhythmic roots. Inevitably, however, this also means the inclusion of hip-hop and RB, which is something that this music doesn't need to survive and progress. Fortunately, the American influence is minimized and does not permeate the whole album. The rap is actually is actually Cape Verdean-derived. The Bandera rhythmic structure keeps the pulse tight and throbbing. Torri Di Control has some moments of significant groove quotient, but it doesn't equal the strength of their previous album, nor does it carry the genre that they are trying to develop on to higher ground.

- Mark Romano, All Music Guide