Coco Maria and Donna Leake
By Kit Macdonald
This Carnival party at La Paloma ballroom in Raval has the look of a perfectly curated celebration of Latin American sounds, with two superb international bookings plus support from Oblicuo Hi-Fi Bar and Marula Cafe resident Much Boogaloo.
The Mexico-born Coco Maria has impeccable credentials as a DJ and Worldwide FM radio host, and her extraordinary appetite for musical exploration has established her as one of the world's most reliable and inspired sources of Latin American and Caribbean music. Last summer's compilation Club Coco ¡Ahora! The Latin Sound Of Now is a great primer.
Donna Leake, meanwhile, has imbued her much-loved monthly show on London's NTS radio with a similarly dedicated, buccaneering vibe since it began in 2017, turning up endless treasures from the worlds of jazz, reggae, psych and more.