ALBUM REVIEWS

*** 1/2 Aterciopelados, “Caribe Atomico,” BMG. This record of bossa nova cloaked in velvety electronica finds the Colombian rock en espan~ol band trimmed down to its two key members: singer Andrea Echeverri and bassist Hector Buitrago.

What surprises here is the growth shown by Aterciopelados in the two years since the release of their last album. The songs brim with ambiguous melodic lines and oblique loops and samples, with Echeverri’s voice floating hypnotically over the quiet soundscapes.

Interestingly, the inclusion of artificial beats doesn’t erase the group’s ethnic roots. In “Doctora Corazon,” the mere mention of South America conjures up an acoustic guitar and violin that evoke the soulfulness of Latin music.

“Caribe Atomico” walks the path paved by groups such as Cafe Tacuba and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, demonstrating that rock en espan~ol has attained a creative identity of its own. And Echeverri has become the unequivocal priestess of the Latin rock ritual.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).