"Since winding down her brassy goodtime band Amparanoia in 2008, Spanish singer-songwriter Sámchez has moved into twangier, moodier territory for her solo career, must fruitfully in collaboration with Mexi-Cali mood masters Calexico, who feature prominently here (...), their low-slung reverb-laden guitar sound and spare drumming adding much to an album of plaintive melodies and dust-blown atmospherics. There's Hammond organ on some tracks, accordeon on others. Sometimes mariachi horns add heft and colour ... Combining Spanish and Basque influences with US folk rock and Mexican boleros, Espiritu Del Sol doesn't really find Sánchez trying anything that she hasn't delivered on previous solo releases, but offers up her highest hit rate of good songs and finely honed arrangements yet".
