More about: Buena Vista Social Club

Released at a time when western interest in global musical culture was arguably at an all-time high (at least prior to the arrival of the internet as a mainstream phenomenon) Buena Vista Social Club's eponymous debut arrived as something of a bolt from the blue.

In addition to the highly successful documentary that accompanied the 1996 album's release, the musical meeting of minds which comprised the band's numerous talented contributors represented a triumph of collaborative spirit, artistic ingenuity and distinctly Latin verve. Any risks taken by either producer Ry Cooder or the players themselves were richly rewarded, as the album enjoyed a glowing reception — both from the critics, who tripped over themselves to praise it, and from a receptive record buying public (who, at last count, have purchased twelve million copies of the album). A quarter of a century on, it now reappears in a truly luxurious 25th Anniversary Edition deluxe reissue. Though this certainly doesn't mark the first time that this enduringly popular title has been rereleased on vinyl, it does mark its first truly expansive re-examination.

With the original album newly remastered, a fresh lick of paint has been applied to its already high-gloss surfaces, resulting in a dynamic and fresh-faced edition of the album that will doubtless please long-term aficionados as much as first-time listeners. But that isn't all: the album's warmly harmonious compositions and engrossing soundscapes now come replete with a generous selection of previously unreleased bonus tracks — five of which appear on the fourth side of the double LP included in the set and the rest of which appear on the second of the two CDs added into the package. Between these additions and a frankly stunning hardback book-style form of presentation, it becomes immediately obvious that the 25th Anniversary Edition of Buena Vista Social Club is intended to be taken as a heartfelt tribute to the original album as much as a fresh opportunity to bring the fourteen compositions of its original track-listing back into the minds of listeners the world over.

Although all facets of the 25th Anniversary Edition are to be savoured, there's arguably no element of it more important than the two LPs included therein. Audiophiles will doubtless be thrilled to learn that remastering duties for this reissue were handed over to the esteemed Bernie Grundman — a veritable industry legend whose eye-wateringly capacious CV includes various examples of his mastering for many of music's most beloved figures, as well as plenty of its lesser-known individuals. His work with Buena Vista Social Club is every bit as exceptional as that enviable precedent might suggest. The upright bass heard throughout the album pops and rumbles with an entirely credible presence; it sounds alive, immediate — in a word: real. The album's assorted percussive instruments likewise boast a crispness and definition wholly befitting its direct and unfettered sonic footprint. However, it's perhaps the vocals which prove to have benefited most absolutely from this auditory readjustment; the raw soul of the album's various vocal parts come through in rich form across the full breadth of its runtime, enriching the album's already sumptuous compositions to hair-raising heights. 

There's a keen intimacy throughout Buena Vista Social Club; scarcely a moment passes without the illusion that the listener might actually be in the recording studio with the artists. The 25th Anniversary Edition's remastering only accentuates this charming quality; wrought with exquisite subtlety, the soundscape glistens in a way that precious few albums in any style do. But it isn't just Bernie Grundman's remastering that establishes this as a fantastic edition of a classic album, it's also the vinyl pressing itself. Those closely familiar with the outputs of the various active pressing plants of the world might be initially sceptical of the news that this reissue's vinyl component was manufactured by Czech powerhouse GZ Media — a company who, as one of the most in-demand pressing plants in the world — are not above the occasional example of lax quality control, most likely sacrificed in the name of meeting the demands placed upon them. But, though their output can at times suffer from surface noise, they are by all means capable of producing commendably high-quality LPs. And that's exactly what they've done here. 

Spread over two heavy-weight black vinyl discs, this 25th Anniversary Edition of Buena Vista Social Club proves itself to be a delight to even the pickiest of listeners. As superb as the remastering is, the pressing itself is no less impressive; when studied in-hand, the records wholly impress. They handle well, their weightiness lending them a pleasing sturdiness that is only matched by their impeccable surfaces free of the scuffing which can all-too-often appear on new releases where sufficient care has not been taken during the quality control process. True to that, these discs positively glisten when held up to the light and, most importantly, they also sound wonderful.

GZ pressings tend to have an admirably silent noise floor and that is as true here as anywhere; but, more impressively than that, there was also no surface noise of note at any point across our example, leaving us with a stupendously uninterrupted listening experience through which the music could truly shine. The CDs, too, are a welcome inclusion; the first boasts the original album in its remastered form, whilst the second — as mentioned earlier — includes the full roster of previously unreleased bonus materials, their inclusion only further cementing the intimacy innate to the original album.

If, then, it's clear that World Circuit and BMG together have placed the utmost care into the auditory element of their Buena Vista Social Club 25th Anniversary Reissue, it's also clear that they were equally keen to ensure that the packaging and presentation entirely lived up to the music's indomitable precedent. Put simply, this is one of the most attractively-presented reissues we've ever had the pleasure of seeing; packaged in a hardbound style — as if it were an LP-sized book — the records are found in two sturdy card pouches, with the CDs being embedded into the back cover. Best of all, though, a sizeable book actually is included, its contents going far beyond the standards of even the more in-depth liner notes typically included in such reissues to instead stand as something more akin to a high-quality coffee table book. Its pages are of an excellent quality; they feel sturdy when flicked through and also boast a sharp print-definition (where applicable, a few of the photos are somewhat low-resolution by nature - though most are of high quality).

Rich in images of the various musicians and artists involved with the project — as well as the area local to the recording studio in which its sessions took place — the book also includes generously in-depth liner notes, as well as detailed credits for each track along with full lyrics, including English-language translations. Further to that, a pair of art prints are included; one depicting the recording studio in which the album was taped (absent of people but rich in waiting musical instruments) and the other a captivatingly dynamic cityscape.

An unqualified classic, Buena Vista Social Club returns to shelves in celebration of its 25th anniversary with one of the most attractive, sumptuous deluxe editions in recent memory. Those with a long-standing appreciation of the album's uniquely beguiling charms will, in this re-release, find an edition that is by far and away the definitive. For those yet to discover Buena Vista Social Club, meanwhile, there has never before been a better opportunity to do so. To ask of any reissue the exceptional remastering heard here — or the fantastic vinyl pressing, or the gorgeous packaging — would be to insist upon standards that precious few releases are capable of meeting. That Buena Vista Social Club's 25th Anniversary Edition ticks all three of those particular boxes is testament to the rare delights not only of the music itself but also of this reissue.

BUY BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB ON VINYL.

More about: Buena Vista Social Club