Ayó / Ayo

The Garifuna—descendants of escaped West African slaves and native Caribs—are a culturally and ethnically distinct minority with a unique musical style that draws from both native and West African traditions. Singer and guitarist Andy Palacio was one of Stonetree’s most accomplished artists and led a loosely affiliated group of musicians known as The Garifuna Collective. The group’s 2006 effort Watina was a creative triumph; it effortlessly updated the Garifuna’s quick-stepping "punta rock" style for a modern audience and went on to win wide critical acclaim. Palacio’s unexpected death in 2008 dealt a huge blow to The Garifuna Collective, and it took five years for them to reconvene for their second full-length, Ayo. This album, whose title translates simply as “Goodbye,” is a musical tribute to Palacio that's as moving as it is musically accomplished. The delicate polyrhythms, thrilling group vocals, and sinuous, Congolese-influenced guitar lines of songs like “Mongulu” and “Alagan” make Ayo one of Stonetree’s most exciting releases; it's a worthy follow-up to its much-feted predecessor.