Gondwana

Over the course of more than 30 years, reggae has become a true global music. From Jamaica to Britain and Africa, the roots message of peace and love has spread. Even the Latin countries, with their own powerful musical traditions, have absorbed the beat, as Chile's Gondwana show on their sophomore album, Second Coming (RAS), where reggae, Latin, rhythms, and even rock guitar mix into a whole that's reminiscent of classics 70s reggae.

"We don't calculate how we want to sound. We just let it flow," explained dreadlocked singer Quique Niera, front man for the eight-piece band. "We're very rockish, but we also have the South American traditional rhythms, like the bolero."

"For too long we've been downtrodden, the victims of military governments. Our new album is very connected with those concepts. We have to know our past to grow."

Niera is the most recent member of the 13-year-old Gondwana, having joined four years ago, before they recorded their debut, Together. Based in Santiago, the country's capital, they're "from all over Chile," Niera explained. "We represent all the different peoples and parts of the place"

Like many roots reggae bands, they preach the Rastafarian gospel of peace and love. But they've lived through the political upheavals and trauma of their nation, and so they speak out for the underclasses of Latin America, Niera, said, because "for too long we've been downtrodden, the victims of military governments. Our new album is very connected with those concepts. We have to know our past to grow."

And that past, especially the time of the dictator Pinochet, is recalled on songs like "Libertad" ("Freedom"), which speaks of justice, and peace, both important ideas to the conscious and spiritual Gondwana. They've found themselves at the head of a reggae wave in Chile. Where five years ago Bob Marley was the music's only recognizable name, now "the knowledge is growing, and people are forming reggae bands, and learning about Rasta. It's helping the consciousness of the people grow."

Thier popularity became evident with the release of Second Coming, (called Alabanza (Praise) in Chile). The album quickly hit the top of the pop charts, and the extracted single, "Antonia," also went to number one.

"We tried to write some radio-friendly songs, but on album we're more serious," Niera admitted. "We want to bring joy. We're blessed." The band is also part of the huge global movement of Latin music, from traditional sounds to rock en espanol to Latin pop. And Niera is proud to be a part of that, because, "Latin people need to insert themselves into the world. The Latin people are one people, one part of humankind, and what the world needs is unity. If our music can help that, we're happy."

This Article first appeared on Sonicnet.com