The translation of the title is – initially – rather odd: ‘Christmas Assault’; and the cover is bizarre too. But this Christmas album is no joke – in fact, it has a good claim as being the most beloved ‘holiday record’ in all of Latin music. Asalto Navideño is actually named for an old Puerto Rican Christmas tradition (also known as a parranda); revellers visit their friends and families, singing secular songs and enjoying ‘refreshments’ late into the night. In 1971, the first Navideño album became a best-seller in the US and Puerto Rico and was followed up two years later by this even better sequel.

Craft Latino’s all-analogue 50th anniversary reissue sees the duo of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe, with the addition of cuatro maestro Yomo Toro, playing such festive favorites as ‘La Banda’, ‘Doña Santos’ and ‘Cantemos’ in their own inimitable style. As on the first record, Colón (who also served as producer and arranger) selected eight traditional Puerto Rican country songs – música jíbara – and reimagined them in the salsa tradition, blending them with an array of Afro-Caribbean rhythms (from Cuban guaguancó to Brazilian samba). The result is a record which, although perhaps ‘alien’ to European ears, is joyfully high-spirited enough to warrant inclusion on your festive party playlist.