A fine follow-up to the equally dance-oriented “Spirit of Brazil” (5/09), “Dances” sees young UK ensemble the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet exploring the dance in a slightly wider context – though the flavour is still very much of the Latin variety.

Egberto Gismonti is again represented, this time by Baiáo Malandro, arranged by AGQ member James Jervis for four guitars, and while the original version’s synthesiser has been dropped the playing here is positively electric, as it is in the following rumba Hasta Alicia Baila by Eduardo Martin. Andy Scott’s Seven Dances and ‘No Looking Back’, here receiving its premiere recording, leaps about like a (jazz) cat on a hot tin roof (in a good way) while allowing moments of respite such as the Ennio Morricone-inspired “Film”.

The AGQ can undoubtedly swing with the best of them – Biréli Lagrène’s Django tribute Made in France – yet in other works, such as Boccherini’s ubiquitous Fandango from the D major Guitar Quintet, the playing feels curiously score-bound despite the superlative ensemble and, for lack of a better term, instrumental prestidigitation.

So it is the boys can bring off a sparkling Tarantella (the one made famous by Inti-Illimani) while favouring perfection over a necessary calculated looseness in the traditional Malagueña Salerosa (in AGQ member Rory Russell’s superb arrangement).

Other highlights, and there are many, include a crisp yet expressive account of Piazzolla’s La muerte del ángel and a sweetly simple rendition of Catriona McKay’s The Swan ‘LK 243’ arranged by the AGQ’s Michael Baker.