El Coco were a project that blended disco with easy listening, soul, and Jazz elements. They existed between 1975 and 1982, signed to AVI Records- releasing a total of eight albums, and twenty-five singles/ EP.  Here we have a two CD set from Cherry Red's Robin songs bringing together the first four albums from the project.

Seemingly at their time of appearance in the mid 70’s, there was a sense of mystery of who was behind El Coco. But it was later revealed that it was the brainchild of American music producers Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis-  with Rinder handling drums/ percussion, and Lewis handling piano, organ, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer, tenor saxophone, and acoustic guitar. With I’m guessing sessions musicians/ singers brought as/ when needed.

The four albums featured here are:  Brazil(1975), Mondo Disco(1975), Let’s Get Together(1976), and Cocomotion(1977). There are two albums per CD, with one or two bonus tracks topping off the disc. All four albums are fun and largely very engaging rides, with the blend of disco with other genres done in an effective, if often cheesy/ camp manner.

So, we open with the Brazil album, this features eight tracks. These move from the steadily strutting to swooning vibes of “Masquerade” with its clip-clop/ to spinning percussion, layers of jaunting keyboards, flute trails, and repeating the track's title female vocals. Onto the waltzing easy listening meets disco cheese of “A Cancão Do Nosso Amor". Though to the exotica disco cross of “Bahia” featuring tropical bird song chatter, crashing wave sounds, wordless female vocals, and horn-bound keyboard settings.

Next, we of course have the Mondo Disco album which consists of seven tracks. These move from the title track with its wacker-wacker guitar groove, jaunting organ tones, and sensual moaning to reciting the track's title female vocals. We have the stomping bass, funk strutting vibe, croaky female lead & soulful backing vocals of “Heartbeat”. Or “The Count Of Monte Disco” with its grooving organ keys, jaunting synth horns, spacy tones, and evil cackling laughter/ evil villain spoken word elements. This first is finished off with two bonus tracks.

Onto disc two, and we have the eleven tracks that make up the Let’s Get It Together. We go from a cover of the exotica classic “Quiet Village” which brings in a steadily twitching disco beat, spacy synth sweeps, and jiving organ tones. Through the steady galloping groove of “Love Vaccine” with its weave of strutting guitar, jaunting keys, stabbing synth tones, and soulful female backing vocals. Onto wacker-wacker guitar groove, bright vibe lined, cascading keys, and sensual moans of “Fait Le Chat”. Finishing with the cheeky chopping beats, horn swoons ‘n’ sails, and urgent female vocalising of “Gimme Some”.

Lastly, we have the Cocomtion album- this features seven tracks.  These go from cheesy ‘n’ cheeky easy listening meets disco of “We Call It Disco” with its jaunting ‘n’ soulful female lead vocals, woosh synth tones, and sassy horn work.  Onto the stomping bass tones, tick-tock beats, synth string sailings, cross male vocals, and smoky horn wails of “I’m Mad As Hell”. With the album finishing off the smooth-yet-soulfully jaunting disco of “You’re My Everything”. The CD is finished off with a bonus track.

If you enjoy where disco meets easy listening cheese, soulful grooves, and jazziness, this two-disc set is a must… let's hope Robin song decides to reissue El Coco’s other four albums in a similar two-disc set.