Tresillo

Three hits splitting eight eighth-notes 3+3+2: on the beat, on the "and" of 2, on beat 3. It is the first half of the son clave, the skeleton of the habanera and the dembow, and the most-travelled rhythm in the Atlantic world (Cuba, Brazil, New Orleans, West Africa, now pop). The first two notes pull forward, the third lands back on the beat, so it feels like a push and a release. Listen for it in bass tumbaos, in bossa nova guitar thumbs and in reggaeton snares.