by John Bush
The ability to make digital music sound organic and dirty is a talent, one that Control Machete bandmates Patricio Ch. Elizalde and Toy Hernández (plus longtime producer Jason Roberts) understand intuitively. The band's third full album (not counting the compilation-heavy Solo Para Fanaticos) is most notable for the departure of leading voice Fermin IV, a loss nearly equal to Ice Cube leaving N.W.A. Fortunately for Latin rap fans, Uno, Dos: Bandera is also notable for the remaining members' ability to modify their sound and continue as a compelling group, making most fans hardly regret at all the departure of Fermin IV. Elizalde wields his voice like a weapon, spraying listeners with dense syllables and a sneering delivery, constructing choruses out of just a few repetitive effects. These dark productions -- most constructed in the group's Silverlake studios -- may have only a few hooks to drive them, but thanks to Elizalde and Roberts, there are usually innumerable elements going on in the background to keep things interesting. &En el Camino& featuring los Caballeros del Plan G y Sekreto proves that Control Machete haven't forgotten how to construct a tough track along the lines of classic Mexican rap. The auditory equivalent to contemporary Mexican masterworks in the film world like Amores Perros and Y Tu Mamá También (no surprise that the group contributed a song to the former).