It is often noted that music, regardless of genre, speaks to each of us via a universal dialect. In the case of Si*Se (pronounced see-seh), music is a collaborative effort, one which steers them to the same space from which they blend melody, rhythm, lyrics and song. The brainchild of DJ Carol C. and U.F.LOW (Cliff Cristofaro), Si*Se was born from a desire to express their diverse styles of and tastes for music.

Simply stated, 'More Shine'? the group's sophomore release, is a 12 song journey through the simplistic intricacies of life. Produced by Cliff with some production help by Carol C. and the rest of the band. The tracks which are sung in English and Spanish also include a few instrumentals, evoke a feeling of calm chill, complete with pinches of Latin spice and a dash of downtown New York flavor. Sequenced from a dj's perspective, Carol explains, "If I were to pay the album as a set, this is how I would put it together." A melange of Latin, Electro and Hip-hop, their sound has been blessed with the pristine grit of the city's underground. But be clear, the underground is not so much a scene as it is a movement, a feeling, if you will.

Although their ancestry varies, Si*Se's realm of experience is the result of an upbringing set against the cultural backdrop of New York City. Carol, whose blood line flows from the Middle East and the Dominican Republic, has been in love with music for as far back as she can recall. "My passion for music began when I was about 4 years old," she notes. "I can even remember singing with my mother while she sat at the sewing machine." Along with soaking in the sounds of salsa and merengue that blasted from her mother and sister's speakers, Carol also delved into classical training as an opera singer. Having earned her stripes as a vocalist and songwriter, she later added DJing to her repertoire. When she wasn't spinning records, she sang back-up for various artists including Amber Sunshower.

Born just across the Hudson in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Cliff, whose parents are Italian-American, is a disciple of underground hip-hop, European instrumentalism, and was musically schooled by his brother on Treacherous Three, RUN-DMC, UTFO and the Jungle Brothers. Later, his college radio show, WVOF Connecticut's "The Boom Spot," became a draw for lyricists from the city who sought exposure to a wider audience. His appetite for the music industry was later triggered after a stint in promotions at an indie label and he later moved on to pursue production and songwriting. "I started out by dissecting and sampling classic hip-hop tracks," Cliff notes, "then I'd restructure and mix them with different sounds. It took time, but I taught myself how to rock samplers, computer equipment and even play keyboards."

In 2000, Carol and Cliff were introduced by a mutual friend and the pair would forge a single, musical mindset by exchanging mix tapes as a means of communication. In short, Cliff created the beats over which she penned and sang the lyrics and after three months, they crafted a 5-song demo. The collection, eventually made its way to Luaka Bop Records' founder and Talking Heads vocalist, David Byrne.

After assembling their multi-cultural live band - inclusive of Venezuelan Neil Ochoa (percussion) who was a friend and had already been working on music with Carol, English and Italian bred Morgan Phillips (bass), Irish and Puerto Rican Ryan Farley (drums), Jamaican-American Jeannie Oliver (viola) and the occasional appearance by African-American Tarrah Reynolds on violin the group was picked up by Luaka Bop and began work on their critically-acclaimed, self-titled debut. The collaboration of influences formulates a common thread which make up the Si*Se sound. Cliff creates the basis of production, Carol arranges with vocals and the band puts the final touches. To see them live, you'll experience a freestyle jam where they extend the songs to create a different energy for the live setting.

While Los Angeles' KCRW-FM sparked buzz on the group, Si*Se hit the road to open for artists ranging from Norah Jones and Kraftwerk to James Brown and David Byrne. "Looking back, I can admit that touring was tough," admits Cliff. "It was sort of an awakening experience for all of us because we were trying to work together and get to know each other while being away from home."

The debut album sold almost 100,000 copies worldwide and their music has been featured on diverse compilations from Putumayo and on television shows like HBO's acclaimed "Six Feet Under" demonstrating the band's eclectic and universal sound. Fans of Si*Se's debut album, Fuerte Group's founders Jerry Blair and Rich Isaacson, fell in love with the band after seeing them play live at New York City's famed SOBs. The duo, accomplished music industry executives: Blair, former Executive VP at Columbia Records and at Arista Records, and Isaacson, co-founder and President of legendary hip-hop label LOUD Records, feverishly pursued the band and ultimately signed them as their first release on their new label Fuerte Records.

"We're a band from New York, so we try to blend all of the city's musical traditions including hip-hop beats, Latin rhythms and down-tempo electronic," adds Carol. "Those are the sounds that we hear every day of our lives, it's a prelude to the future."