Amazon.comFor their third release, the sisters from Equatorial Guinea have beefed up their spare sound to make some joyous Afro-pop. Although billed as a tribute to the late Fela Kuti, this CD features his groove-heavy Afro-beat style only on "Grito Libre." Elsewhere Hijas del Sol breeze through King Sunny Ade-style juju on "Sibollo" and even some Afro-style R&B on "La Princesa Perdida" before taking it a cappella on "E Ria E Nta," which offers a gorgeous, satisfying contrast to the slick production of the rest of the record. Singing in a mixture of Spanish and their native Bubi, they offer a unique liveliness in their music. And the album succeeds in its pan-African approach, which extends as far as Zulu jit music. This is strong Afro-pop that never forgets its roots, propelled by some glorious sororal harmonies. --Chris Nickson