Eco de Sombras

The album was produced by Craig Street.[8] It was in part recorded over six weeks at Baca's house, in Lima, Peru.[9][10] Baca would often record at night, and then make a meal for the musicians.[11] The album made use of cajónes and checos.[12][13] "Poema" is a Carlos Oquendo de Amat poem set to music.[14] "Golpe E' Tierra" was inspired by the Marinera.[15]

Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Greg Leisz, and John Medeski were among the musicians who contributed to Eco de Sombras.[16][17][18] Label head David Byrne played the charango.[19]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[20]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[21]
Los Angeles Daily News	[22]
Orlando Sentinel	[14]
Rolling Stone	[17]

The Austin Chronicle called the album "a natural-sounding collection of mostly mid-tempo, smoldering, and sinewy songs, replete with fun little melodic explorations like the long instrumental outro of closer 'Xanahari'."[23] The Chicago Reader wrote that "Baca's longtime quartet makes the songs sound simultaneously timeless and contemporary, elasticizing the spare percussive grooves–played on traditional instruments ... and filling the space between them with billowy, hypnotic bass and acoustic guitar figures."[13] The Independent concluded that "it's a revelation, happily played at the quietest of volumes, when Baca's voice sounds like a siren's whisper."[24]

The Boston Globe stated that "poems of love, sorrow, and nostalgia refer to the black experience both in colonial and present-day Peru."[25] The Wall Street Journal determined that "Baca's suave, fervent singing is supported at the core by David Pinto's bass, Raphael Munoz's guitar, and a variety of percussion instruments."[26] The Chicago Tribune opined that "unlike the Brazilian Virginia Rodrigues or Cape Verde's Cesaria Evora, Baca's instrument is not so much celestial as an earthly delight."[27]

AllMusic wrote that "Baca's voice is smooth, her songs and world darkly sinister ... Yet another worthy effort from a woman who refuses to pander to the nouveau hippie crowd."[20] The Windsor Star listed it as the fifth best album of 2000.[28]