NOHELANI CYPRIANO Vinilo y CD

Review: Nohelani Cypriano's 1979 debut album, Nohelani, has become something of an in-demand item since Athens of the North reissued two of the tracks last year. Here, it gets a handy reissue, so those without the desire to dig deep can revel in its' curiously unique mix of styles. Cypriano's Hawaiian heritage is represented by the strange sound of pedal steel on a number of tracks, which also feature easy listening, disco, boogie, soul and jazz-funk influences. It's a bizarre but entertaining melting pot of influences, and one that happily steers clear of kitsch territory thanks to the high quality of its' most notable moments, in particular "Lihue", "Island Boy" and the deliciously camp "South Sea Island Magic".