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Kinky was originally introduced to me as a Hispanic rap band (before the term “reggaeton” became popularized). While there are hip hop (as well as electronica and rock) elements to its music, however, Kinky is more of a world music dance band, populated by multi-instrumentalists. And while Hispanic elements inform Kinky’s music, it’s certainly aimed at a much wider audience, if Reina is any indication.

Reina is Kinky’s third release, and has been reissued, book-ended by a couple of new tracks. Mexican Radio, the Wall of Voodoo hit, is covered competently here, though it won’t make you forget Stan Ridgway anytime soon. The other extra is a Brazilian Girls remix of A Donde Van Los Muertos? which jumps nicely. Neither, however, is cause to purchase Reina a second time if you have it already.

If you missed Reina the first time around, however, and are a fan of eclectic dance music, you might well want to pick this reissue up. There are those who have characterized them, as a compliment and otherwise, as a Hispanic Talking Heads, or (less charitably) as a Mexican B-52s. The latter comparison is certainly apt in spots, particularly on Again And So On, the former on Nothing Really, Sister Twisted, and Do That. Occasionally Kinky gets caught up in monotony (Lay Back), notwithstanding a guest bump from rapper Nefertiti. There are, however, occasional surprises, such as the presence of Colin Hay from Men At Work on Monday Killer, and it’s a wonderful surprise, indeed. Uruapan Breaks is a breakneck Caribbean jazz-flavored instrumental which gives way to the electronica-tinged house track, Spin That Wine. The remix of A Donde Van Los Muertos is interesting, but I wonder if perhaps fans aficionados of both Kinky and the Brazilian Girls will ultimately come away disappointed. The whole seems less that the sum of the parts on this track, which is still a passable dance track, though ultimately nothing special.

There was some groaning in certain circles when Reina was first released, to the effect that the group was perhaps running out of ideas before fully living up to the promise of their self-titled debut. The re-release of Reina, on the heels of 2007’s RARITIES collection, would seem to indicate that the band is either taking their time with a new release or finding that the well is running dry. This year or next should tell the tale.