Imaginary Cuba

Released in 1999 on the Wicklow label, Imaginary Cuba represents one of Bill Laswell's most successful 'translation' projects. Rather than simply recording Cuban musicians in a studio, Laswell traveled to Havana with a portable DAT recorder to capture the ambient sounds of the city and its people. He then returned to his New York studio to deconstruct these recordings, layering them with his own bass playing and electronic treatments. The result is a 'sound collage' that bridges the gap between traditional Afro-Cuban music and the 'illbient' and dub-techno scenes of the late 90s. Critics, notably Rick Anderson of AllMusic, praised the album for its respectful yet radical approach to its source material. It stands as a companion piece to his other global reconstructions, such as 'Sacred System' or his work with Master Musicians of Jajouka, but remains distinct due to its specific focus on the rhythmic complexity of the Clave and Santería traditions. It is a landmark in the 'fourth world' music tradition pioneered by Jon Hassell.