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Este Mundo (This World), released on the Cumbancha label, once again finds the San Francisco based world-folk band blurring musical boundaries. The music hasn’t changed either; it still bursts with vitality, humour and empathy.

As the title of the previous record implied, Rupa & Co. are concerned by worldwide political and social issues, and the themes of love, life and death are again quirkily mixed with social commentary on Este Mundo. The band’s sound blends a carnival of styles - French chanson, tango, Gypsy swing, brassy Mexican licks, Latin rhythms and even Indian ragas - all bound together by hard-driven off-beat rhythms.

This heady internationalism is the product of vocalist and songwriter-in-chief, Rupa Mayra. Living in the U.S, with Indian heritage and half a childhood spent in France, she is very much a citizen of the world. Singing mainly in French but also in Spanish and English, a clear but gutsy voice that has plenty enough flair to lead her circus troupe forwards, Mayra is the star of the show.

The band gets the party going with ‘C’est moi’, its swaying melody and jaunty brass riffs (trumpeter Marcus Cohen is incandescent throughout, especially on ‘L’elephant’) setting the tone for a barnstorming set of songs. The gypsy verve of ‘la rose’ and glorious vocal harmonies of ‘la estrella calda’ are picks of the bunch here, but there is strong songwriting and bags of personality running right through the record, with the only blip being some corny guest-rapping on ‘Soledad’.

Alongside the high-octane energy, Mayra also contributes some well-crafted ballads to the album: the lyrical trombone solo on ‘El camino del diablo’ could be the most perfect track. Este Mundo serves up beautiful, life affirming music. Take ‘Soy Payaso’, for example. Beginning with a meandering eastern melody, it morphs into a hyperventilating Gypsy dance. Many bands try to pack just too much into each song, but with Rupa & the April Fishes it just works.