Cantoma - Cantoma

Cantoma's self-titled debut mines the well-worn vein of "world ambient," with a special emphasis on Iberian Peninsula and the surrounding regions. And while there's always a threat of falling into soporific Ottmar Liebert territory, Cantoma retains enough of a rhythmic presence to avoid the dreaded "new age" tag. Indeed, "Marisi," the opening track, melds the Spanish guitar to some chill beats, but the wan vocals on ""Essarai" seem to edge too close to dull. But "Moonsmith" and "Overtime" redeem things with some lightweight dub, and the spry accordion in "Etoile" gives that track some luster. The final track, "Early Till Late," delves head first into the atmosphere with a dreamy strum. It's certainly pleasant to listen to, but this album won't change your life.