by Alex HendersonWhen dictator Augusto Pinochet seized power in Chile in 1973 with the help of the CIA, artists and musicians were often singled out for persecution. The members of Inti-Illimani, an adventurous group that had been formed in 1967, were among those who fled the country, but they continued to record and tour outside of Chile. Inti-Illimani was still going strong when Xenophile released Arriesgare La Piel in 1996, which showed how eclectic and unpredictable the group can be. The music of Chilean and South American Indians is a strong influence on this CD, but Spanish influence is equally prominent. Though ballads and slow tempos are a high priority, Inti-Illimani provides a very dancable and invigorating mixture of Afro-Cuban and Peruvian elements on "El Negro Bembon," "Caramba, Yo Soy Dueno Del Baron" and "El Hacha." Inti-Illimani has recorded many memorable albums over the years, and Arriesgare La Piel is certainly up to the Chileans' high standards.