Rhythm 'n' Roots

This Blog has Moved

2010-12-12T18:40:00.002-03:00

I have switched sides, gone for something new, had a makeover and started afresh. The NEW Rhythm 'n' Roots blog can be found at http://rhythmnroots.wordpress.com with a new Mix just uploaded. Please update and go check it out I will be keeping it up to date.

Thanks

Glasgow!

2009-09-22T17:03:00.003-03:00

It has been too long but I have come out of my blog slumber back in Glasgow. I was awoken from this short term hibernation by Modeselektor and Resident Advisor. Their latest podcast (download here) features the germanic duo's bass driven selection. The one tune which really got me was Modeselektor's own remix of the headhunter track Prototype, here is a short clip played live by Moderat:

Forthcoming 12" release on Tempa Records.

I will shortly be doing some updates on the Glasgow music scene. After having been away for a
year it is good to be back and see club nights like Numbers, Fortified and Ballers Social going strong and sad to say goodbye to Kinky Afro who bow out at the Sub Club this Friday with special special guest Matthew Herbert!

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume V

2009-08-23T15:45:00.008-03:00

August's Rhythm 'n' Roots Mix goes back up to 130 BPM to bring all sorts of house, bongo-tech, ghettohall, dancequake, squarebass music for your ears. Many of the tunes were dug out of the big internet blogging crate and the others can be paid for (!!)

Download, put it on your walkman and jive.

Tracklist

Fabric Live 47

2009-08-18T14:16:00.003-03:00

Toddla T has been another one of those names which crops up all over the internet, be it remixes, hype or his mixes. A dancehall, funky, bashment junky, the young Sheffield lad has produced and remixed an awful lot and thus has created a big buzz, no doubt soon to be increased by the latest Fabric Live Mix CD. Toddla takes the reins for number 47 and mixes up all sorts. Out noooow.

Check out the entertaining videos on the BBC's Introducing site with him giving tips for up and coming artists:

Cooliado!

2009-08-17T19:16:00.007-03:00

Thanks to one super super blog (Bass Music blog) I discovered another super super blog (Cooliado) with some super music and thing. Grab the mix recommended on the Bass Music blog for the reasons stated, a really interesting mix of techno-minimal-house which drops into neo-cumbia and finishes with The Doors. It was mixed by Un Mono Azul who was amongst the winners of the Fauna remix competition held by ZZK Records.

The inclusion of Faithless, Ricardo Villalobos, Animal Collective, Fauna, Missy Elliot, Renaissance Man, Kraftwerk and The Rapture all in one mix should be enough to wet the appetite!

Karatekazulu?

The blog is full of good stuff and if you can wade through el español then there is a good read to be had and a some excellent music.

In their own words:

Congratulations for sniffing basslines. it's a good way to blow your mind. I wanna see you injecting yourself with harmony.Cheers

New Radiohead

2009-08-17T18:45:00.004-03:00

Mr York and co. have offered up a new tune on the W.A.S.T.E. site/as a torrent called These are My Twisted Words. Amid an awful lot of rumour and guesswork (as ever with Radiohead) the song first appeared as a rather suspicious torrent before the band stopped the rumour mill and and posted it on their blog for free.

Anyway, it is pretty darn good and proves that Radiohead have definately still got it.

Twisted Woods artwork

Download from their Dead Air Space blog here along with the tribute to the 111 year old First World War veteran, Harry Patch released a few weeks back.

FACT Mix 75!!! It'sTRG

2009-08-17T18:30:00.003-03:00

Posts have become a little sparse because I am in the middle of the countryside and working on lots and lots of music and not listening to enough! However, a couple of things caught my eye this weekend.

The wonderful FACT mix series reaches number 75, quite impressive really and celebrates with a mix by the man TRG. The mix shows TRG's UK funky house influences as with a fair few cross-over 2-step/dubstep producers these days. Tunes from the likes of US house mainstay Karizma and UK's Roska alongside a bunch of TRG's new tunes (Hitek House) and the TRG remix of L-Vis 1990's Untitled Groove. Grab it here: FACT 75

L Vis 1990 New Mix

2009-08-12T09:38:00.000-03:00

A summer mix from L-Vis 1990 (see down there) It is a funky house/2-step/4x4 style mix for those rare sunny afternoons! Check out the MJ Cole remix of United Groove.

Green=wetter than average summer

Link: L-Vis 1990 Mid Summer Mixtape

Playlist:
1. AM Roots – He Africa feat. Fred Mthembu
2. Rishi Romero – African Forest
3. Geeneus – Yellow Tail VIP
4. DVA – Jelly Roll
5. Conan liquid – The King
6. Untold – Just For You (Roska Remix)
7. DJ Gregory – Vasefa (Argy Remix Beats)
9. Karizma – Neccessarry Maddness
10. Greena – Tenzado
11. L-Vis 1990 – Hide
12. Tayo – Salvador Riddim
13. L-Vis 1990 – United Groove (MJ Cole Remix)
14. Bok Bok – Ripe Banana
15. Joy Orbison – Wet Look
16. Brackles – Get a Job
17. L-Vis 1990 – Untitled

Free TRG tune

2009-08-08T09:54:00.002-03:00

A free tune from Romanian producer extraordinaire TRG? Yes please. Thanks to Bass Music blog for this 2-step business:

"It's a remix of Al Haca, and it's a track that was actually done about two years ago, but never released by the label for whatever reason."

Al Haca - Cryptonite (TRG Remix)

L-Vis 1990

2009-08-07T18:03:00.004-03:00

L-Vis 1990 name keeps cropping up with his endless remixes, mix tapes (UK Funky house, Fabric promo mix, Dubplates) and production work (so called "dubblestep" creations). His musical knowledge is deep and his sound is refreshing.

This is a video of the mad United Groove released on Mad Decent:

Finally a couple of remixes:

Buraka Som Sistema - IC19 (L-Vis 1990 Remix)

L-Vis - Big Weekend (Generation Bass Blog)

Delicious Music

2009-07-31T07:52:00.005-03:00

San Francisco based chef and music lover Roger Feely's Soul Cocina blog is a tasty mix mouthwatering recipes, food culture and musical explorations. A blend of global eats and beats.

Some Chicha music to go with your Peruvian Ceviche?

Red Bull Music Academy

2009-07-30T18:25:00.004-03:00

If you haven't already heard of/checked out the Red Bull Music Academy then do so now. It is a big creative orgy held once a year around the world with special invited guests dishing out their wisdom to a group of budding producers, artists and DJs. The week long academy offers these lucky few the opportunity of a lifetime and is all about the vibe, apparently.

A Carl Craig remix workshop...

For those of us who didn't apply or didn't make the cut, the academy offers up videos of the lecture series and they are excellent. I just watched one with Joe Bataan (an hour and a half long!) The site is a great resource for hearing about the artists from the artists. Lectures by the likes of Mala from DMZ, MJ Cole, Carl Craig, Gilberto Gil, Goldie, Madlib, Michael Mayer and the list goes on!

http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/video-archive/lectures

Rhythm 'n' Roots IV - Buenos Aires to Derbyshire

2009-07-29T13:27:00.008-03:00

To celebrate July and my return to the UK I have changed the layout of the blog (one template for a prettier one!) and have completed the next instalment of the Rhythm 'n' Roots Mixes.

Number four of the ongoing mix series 35 minutes of old songs, new songs, remixed songs and songs fused together. Download here (or click the sheep) and check out the tracklisting and artists beloow:

I have swapped Buenos Aires for Derbyshire, England.

Rhythm 'n' Roots IV - Tracklisting

Chicha Libre/Control Machete- Tres Pasajeros/Comprendes Mendes
Collie Budz - Come Around (Kinky Electric Noise Cumbianativo Remix)
Puba Grand - Get It (Toddla T Remix)
Axel Krygier/Magot - Cumbia Tucumana/Als Ik Los Ga (Kid Kaio Remix)
M.I.A./Kush Arora - Fire Fire/Weed Control
Poncho Kingz - Space Cumbia (Sonidero Nacional Remix)
Roots Manuva - Mind 2 Motion
Modeselektor/The Fugees - Ready or Da Macka (DJ Elected Mix)
Chancha Via Radiohead - A Punch Up at la Pachamama (No No No No No No No)
Villa Diamante/Ukamau Y Ké - Emisor (Cumbia Style)/Periférico

Rhythms

2009-07-27T18:32:00.004-03:00

Hyperdub honcho Kode9 talking new book, non-musical rhythms and the tasty forthcoming Vinyl/CD/Digital super-release to celebrate it's fifth birthday:

August 31st 12" release.
October digital & CD release.

Bolivian Hip-Hop: Abraham Bojorquez

2009-07-26T16:30:00.010-03:00

The first I heard of Bolivian rapper Abraham Bojorquez was, unfortunately, his tragic and untimely death in May this year. Aged 26, he was run down by a bus in the city of El Alto (the huge sprawl which sits above La Paz.) I read an article on this website and since reading it have been on the lookout for some of his music. Thanks to Ghetto Bassquake I have managed to find an album by Ukamau y Ké, his group, and it lives up to the reputation.

Abraham Bojorquez ( Wara Vargas / www.lamalapalabra.tk)

Bojorquez learnt his trade in Brazil while working in a textile factory. Intrigued by the role rap played for the young people of the favelas (as a means of expression), when he returned to Bolivia in 2003 he went about creating a rap scene in El Alto. Founding the group Ukamau y Ké and starting open-mic sessions, Bojorquez was, as Ghetto Bassquake puts it, The Godfather of Bolivian Rap.

Wayna Tambo radio community station where Bojorquez had a show

He was first and foremost a rapper of the people, his songs often political and social, dealing with the problems faced by the native Bolivian people in light of the years of opression and struggle against autocratic and racist regimes, or indeed individuals. He brought Aymaran, (The first language of 73% of El Alto's population and 25% of Bolivia's) culture to hip-hop and to the world, changing between rapping in Spanish and Aymara. The personal account given by Benjamin Dangl on the above site or here is a testament to the young producer and MC. Here is another interesting article by Dangl from 2006 about Aymaran hip-hop in El Alto.

My own tribute is a remix of the Ukamau y Ké track La Coca, download below:

Ukamau Y Ké - La Coca (El Buho Remix)

Happy Birthday Rinse FM!

2009-07-26T10:13:00.007-03:00

To celebrate Rinse FM's 15th birthday, the label is giving away a selection of tracks from some of it's contributors and hosts which happen to include some of the best producers around (Skream, Geenus, Skepta, Plastician.)

The 31st of July is the big date and, of course, they are holding a birthday bash down at Matter in London town, as expected, the lineup is stellar:

DJ’s - Skream v Benga / Ms Dynamite / Boy Better feat. Skepta + JME + Frisco + Maximum / Kode9 / Magnetic Man (Live Set) / Geeneus / Crazy Cousinz / Marcus Nasty / N–Type v Youngsta / Zinc / Slimzee / Newham Generals / Caspa / Spyro v Silencer v Vectra / Alexander Nut / Katy B / Circle / Chef v Plastician / Scratcha

MC’s - Pokes / Stamina / Versatile / Tippa / SP:MC / Crazy D

Head over to Rinse FM and get the tunes, includes VIPs, unreleased stuff: general goldmine. While you are there get into the radio shows and podcasts for some real future music. So far:

17th Geenus - Yellowtail (VIP Mix)

20th Zinc ft. Aloe Blacc - All Your Base

21st Plastician ft JME, Skepta and Tinchy - Still Tippin'

22nd Skream - Calous

23rd Scratcha DVA - Kill All A’Dem (VIP)

24th Geenus ft Katy B - As I (Skepta Remix)

Amazonian Wave: Chicha Peruana

2009-07-24T12:15:00.009-03:00

I just read an article in The Guardian about a Madrid based label Vampisoul reissuing long lost music from Latin America and beyond. Their first release was a compilation of Peruvian Underground music from the 60s and 70s, including Peruvian funk, garage, psychedelia and chicha. The article reminded me of an album I have which was released by Barbés Records - another fine label of crate diggers, called The Roots of Chicha, which charts the history and emergence of Peruvian Chicha music

Chica morada, the (slightly) alcoholic drink which the music is named after.

Chicha is often described as "Peruvian cumbia" but it is more like a bastard genre of tradition crossed with modernity. It originated in the Amazonas region of Northern Perú around the time of the oil boom in the 60s. The music took influences from the local folklore and mixed it with rock 'n' roll or surf rock, tropical rhythms such as colombian cumbia and Andean scales and melodies. It was primarily, however, a music to dance to and a music of the people. Barbés has some fantastic background information for all their releases and they do a much better job than either wikipedia or myself at explaining the history of the music.

Juaneco y su combo in full dress.

One of the most influential chicha groups was Juaneco y Su Combo and, in particular, guitarist Noé Fachin. The band mixed Brazilian rhythms, cumbia, rock n roll, surf rock with their own roots, writing songs inspired by local legends from the forest and dressing in traditional Shipibo atire, as Barbés mentions: "They were the musical ambassadors of the selva (forest)."

Unfortunately the main label which recorded and released many of the big names such as Juaneco y su Combo and Los Mirlos, INFOPESA, disappeared and the master tapes were lost. In 1977, five of el "combo" were killed in a plane crash, amongst them guitarist, composer and driving force behind the band Noé Fachin. The remaining members continued to play and indeed continue to play to this day with son of Juaneco, Mao Wong Lopez leading the group. It is great to see these labels making this near forgotten music available globally so support them if you can!

Música Mestiza

2009-07-17T18:47:00.008-03:00

Coming back to Perú I inevitably became reacquainted with Huayno and as I descended the highlands towards Bolivia it became clear Huayno is the popular music of the Andean people. It is a mestizo music: taking the traditional Huayno rhythms and vocal styles of the Incas and mixing it with Spanish lyrics and instruments such as harps and accordions. The musicians play repeated phrases, stretched brass lines and swirling violins accompanied by harping vocals and music box like plucked strings; at times it sounds a long way from Latin American music. It uses a lot of the pentatonic scale, used in folk music across the world, perhaps explaining why at times the harp phrases sound rather more Asian than Latin American.

Huayno Dancing

Perú: Huayno del Centro

Of the 200 or so tracks on this disc some are modern versions of Huaynos complete with cheesy drum machines and keyboards but the ones which really got me were the old, badly recorded tracks. The warm, live sound emphasises the fierce emotion which characterises the style, the vocals near shouting with passion.

Haydee Raymundo

Haydee Raymundo - Cuatro Palabras

tilidom.com

The self-proclaimed "voz de los pobres," I first heard Haydee in a taxi ride and from then on she cropped up everywhere!

Picaflor de los Andes (Victor Mallma)

Picaflor de los Andes - Sacrilegio

tilidom.com

One of the few men on the CD, el Picaflor de los Andes (The Hummingbird of the Andes), better known as Victor Mallma, was one the many "provincianos" who migrated to Lima in the 60s looking for work. He brought the folkloric music of the provinces to the city and became an key figure, representing the lives of the impoverished classes lured to the city. 100,000 people turned out to the man's funeral in 1975.

La Manita de Fauna Remixes

2009-07-17T13:41:00.008-03:00

ZZK Records have just published the results of the Fauna Remix competition from a few months back. The tracks chosen are a mixed bag of remixes and cut ups from of the five tracks from La Manita de Fauna album by a group of relatively unknown artists.

Go check out the site and download the 10 remixes chosen by members of the ZZK crew. It introduces a whole host of new artists to get into; a whole afternoon's worth of Myspacing!

I am a fan of the Lagartijeando sea-shanty-cumbia remix of Las Mil Caras:

Fauna - Las Mil Caras (Lagartijeando RMX)

tilidom.com

Cuuuuuuumbia Colombiaaaaana!

2009-07-06T14:55:00.005-03:00

A "lost" weekend in Santa Fé has left me a little bit behind with the music so it is time to catch up. Still in Ecuador, which borders Colombia, I bought a disc of Colombian cumbias (I was unable to make it Colombia for a lack of time.) I somehow left Ecuador with music from anywhere but Ecuador!

I wanted to upload all of these tracks as they are just great! I have restrained myself however, and limited it to just three. In comparison to the aforementioned Bachata, this stuff is a breath of fresh air. Music to put you in a good mood, the perfect remedy for a grey, stormy Buenos Aires day. Furthermore the lyrics are great. I have already charted, briefly, the history of cumbia so I will leave it to Grant Dull from ZZK to refresh the memory: "Africa, Colombia, America."

First tune which I featured in my Rhythm 'n' Roots Mix Volume I and is a classic cumbia called Cumbia Cienaguera as interpreted by a Conjunto Tipica Vallenata (this appeared sampled on a house track by Samin called Heater and has been interpreted by many).

Conjunto Típica Vallenata - Cumbia Cienaguera

tilidom.com

Second track is by Gustavo "el loco" Quinteros and is called Baracunatana. Made famous by Colombian rock group, Aterciopelados (youtube) but Gustavo Quinteros seems to be quite a character and the song is about him not bringing a prostitute home with him (the one who got on the moto with that idiot!)

Gustavo "el loco" Quinteros - Baracunatana

tilidom.com

The final track is called Tabaco y Ron by Rodolfo Aicardi who is a big name in the history of música popular in Colombia. He sang all sorts of styles from ballads to cumbias to boleros, and alongside Gustavo Quinetero, (above) he spent time as a member of the legendary Los Hispanos group. He was even responsible for taking cumbia to the world, performing in Europe and Asia in the 80s and 90s. This song is, surprisngly, about tobaco and rum.

Rodolfo Aicardi - Tabaco y Ron

tilidom.com

Andean Music

2009-07-02T17:42:00.002-03:00

While looking into the background of the various CDs and new genres I have aquired, I discovered a really great resource for Latin American music, or more specifically Andean music. Pacoweb is a site full of info on artists, discs, styles, dances and instruments (in Spanish). Check out the Ritmos Sud Americanos part which lists and explains the hundred of rhythms and variations of the numerous styles. It lists around 49 variations of Huayno!!!

Bachata

2009-07-02T11:01:00.005-03:00

Ecuador: Nuevas Bachatas #113

Part II takes us to the Dominican Republic via Ecuador. A genre formerly known as "amargue" (bitterness), Bachata is usually is about relationships breaking down. Though I purchased this in Ecuador, Bachata is a style which originated in the Dominican Republic. It has since spread across South America hence why I found it in a CD shop in a town in the Ecuadorian andes. They say it evolved from Bolero, integrating a lot of guitar and is not too dissimilar from Merengue . The music really took off in the Dominican Republic of the sixties. This disc however, is modern, popular Bachata with electric guitar and drums and I have to admit it is rather cheesy: every one has to indulge once in a while and it is a little more acceptable when in another language. What's more I am intrigued by the fact that nearly every song is about heartbreak.

El Chaval

El Chaval - Me Mata una Pena
tilidom.com

I have chosen a song called Me mata una pena by El Chaval: Great guitar riffing with a tragic sound and even more tragic lyrics. "She left me, I am sleeping alone, I cannot live in this shit, I carry on suffering this pain. But one day I have to forget her!" Blimey.

Musical Journey - Pioneras del Huayno

2009-07-01T04:40:00.011-03:00

In January I left BA and hit the road for three months taking in Chile, Perú, Ecuador, Bolivia and Northern Argentina. Along the way I managed to amass a collection of music ranging from Música Nacional Bolivia 2009 to Nuevas Bachatas #113 2008. For the most part I didn't see anything which resembled what I know to be a record store, all the music shops were filled with mountains of pirated CDs with badly photocopied inlays. Think 300 tracks on one CD for $4. I guess the RIAA and the IFPI don't hold much sway round these parts...I brought it all back and did some digesting and now it is time for the regurgitation!

For the next week or so I am going to offer up one track from each CD per day (ish) each with a short description and the track itself for listening/downloading. I suppose you could call it musical geography. I offer you my musical journey through South America.

Southern Peru: Pioneras del Huayno

Starting with a disc purchased in Tacna on the border of Chile and Peru after a taxi driver introduced me to Huayno. It is a music and dance which comes from the mountainous regions of Perú and is characterized by the rhythm; one long, two short, the andean instrumentation (charango, harp, drum etc) and it's shrill singing. Each song on this disc also includes an introdcution by a chap bigging up said chantante or offering some words of wisdom such as, "treat your woman well, she deserves it." Modern Huayno often fuses the traditions with other elements such as cumbia, rock and even reggae!

The ladies on this disc, however, are the pioneers. It features the delightful Flor Pilena, Mina Gonzales, Sally, Alicia Delgado and Wilma Contreras. Alicia Delgado was tragically killed last week amid rumours that her fellow folk singer Abencia Mezaso masterminded the murder. Thus, I have chosen two songs from this disc, one in memory of Alicia and the other a personal favourite.

Alicia Delgado - Luna

tilidom.com

Mina Gonzales - Aguila Negra

tilidom.com
The track I have chosen is a reverb laden ode to a black eagle...I love the Huayno rhythm which is so hard to pin down and the vocals are so rhythmic. The verse on this one is just great. "Que corazón tan variable!"

Empacho Digital

2009-06-24T19:36:00.002-03:00

The previous post's post is has now been fufilled and the monstrous collection of Villa Diamante mash-ups are up and available for donwload from heeeere (or click the pic): Diamante Style.

"Un disco triple de mashups que recorre en mas de 40 tracks un impensable viaje musical donde las referencias culturales se ven alteradas, los géneros se mezclan para dar lugar a lo inaudito."

La Peña Electrica

2009-06-24T18:36:00.004-03:00

This Friday (26th June) sees the return of La Peña Electrica, it is like a peña (a traditional place to go and see Argentine folkloric music) but not so traditional. On the line up are aforementioned Imperio Diablo with dancers from the Ballet Amerindia and Gaby Kerpel (King Coya) as Gaby Kerpel (who I interviewed today, should appear on FlyGlobal but I will post some things on here once it is written up and shiny.)

Performing alongside them are Semilla, Yicos, Los Hermanos Nuñez c/Ruiz Guinazu, Laura Peralta and Chakatap. Lots of new names to me. It should be a varied mix of ace live music, dance and visuals. The event kicks off at 21:00 in Club Niceto (Niceto Vega 5510) and costs $20pesos.

Bombo legüero y distorsión; loops y bagualas; zaphiphopeo y chacapogo; psicodelia y carnavalitos; sonido de raiz y asfalto bajo las suelas. Tribus criollas y urbanas en espacio experimental, festivo y telúrico. Origen y futuro de una identidad en transformación.

Bastardiando la música

2009-06-22T12:15:00.005-03:00

Diego Bulacio aka. Villa Diamante from Villa Diamante (a barrio of Lanus, Bs As) is set to release Empacho Digital on the 24th of June via ZZK Records. It is a mega compilation of more than 40 mash-ups and mixes available for free download from the 24th: Diamante Style and ZZK.

Disc one pairs some of ZZK's most known artists with anyone and everyone, e.g. Chancha Via Circuito vs Nelly and Intoxicados made cumbia! Disc two is a dubstep crossover inspired by Daleduro, one of the few dubstep producers/DJs in Bs As, and unites big tunes from big name dubstep producers with latin american artists. (Benga's anthemic Night meets Juana Molina?!) The third and final disc is a tribute to Rock Nacional Argentino in a way you have never heard before. Bound to offend Rock Nacional purists and down the line hip-hop heads alike for it's wonderfuly unimagineable pairings: (Abuelos de la Nada vs O.D.B. Charly Garcia vs Busta Rhymes!?)

This really is an "anything goes" affair, original in it's concept and execution. Empacho Digital is a statement on the mash-up culture, as Diego says on his site, the disc has "the intention of reflecting the excess of information that the internet era has brought about, it is no longer a privilege but rather a nuisance. We are in the age of hyper-communication and the possibility of having everything at the touch of a button."

Here is a little interview (in Spanish) with Villa Diamante, though it was filmed a while back you can see where he is coming from:

Entrevista: Villa Diamante en Codigo Urbano from Villadiamante on Vimeo.

Dubstep tonic

2009-06-20T12:52:00.007-03:00

This post is inspired by the release (MP3, CD came earlier) this month of Tectonic Plates Volume II, the second compilation of Tectonic's vinyl releases. Run by DJ and producer Pinch, the Bristol based label is one of the most important and interesting dubstep imprints around and this release proves why.

The first disc comes with the tunes and includes names like RSD, Martyn, 2562, Skream and of course Pinch himself (worth it just for the RSD and Martyn tunes!) The second CD is a gold mine mix done by Pinch which includes many hard to find/deep tunes from Pevrelist's Blues, Answer Me by Mala and the word Dubplate repeated a lot (special!) It is really spot-on, the mixes are smooth-as and the selection is second to none. Full release info can be found here. An interview with Mr Pinch can be found on Sonic Router.

Suddenly finding myself with a bunch of, what I think to be, really great tunes, I decided to make a short mix in which the music takes priority. I have learnt from learning to mix (CDs Vinyl) that things don't need to be fancy and complicated, I also have a lot of respect for DJs putting vinyl mixes together like the aforementioned. This mix (MP3s) lets the music speak for itself and the music chosen does just that. It has a 2-step, tech-step, moving groove vibe and it flows.

Download here: Strictly Rhythm Mix

Playlist

Dark Knight - Broken Beats (Urban Riddims)
Martyn - Yet (Tectonic)
Julio Bashmore - Around (Unreleased)
Cooly G - Love Dub (Hyperdub)
Falty DL - Human Meadow (Planet Mu)
Pinch - Joyride (Tectonic)
Untold - Can't Stop This Feeling (Hessle Audio)
F - The Untitled Dub (7even Recordings )
Geiom - Remenissin' You (Kode 9 Refix) (Berkane Sol)
Skream - Percussion (Tectonic)
Shackleton - Massacre (Hot Flush)
Bjork - Dull Flame of Desire (Modeselektor's Remix for Boys) (One Little Indian)
Clouds - Protecting Hands (12" release....no poss of a 12" in Buenos Aires but it is a killer tune!) (Deep Medi)

Gun's Don't Kill People.....

2009-06-17T03:11:00.013-03:00

Apparently there was some kind of release by Diplo? Switch? Something to do with lazers? Most hyyyyyyyyyped album for a wee while (in blogging circles at least.)

Musically? The album is fidgety. It is moves from reggae to electro from dancehall to "lazer." All well and good for the genre surfing pair but it is a strange mix and from streaming the album, I am not blown away. Though there are some irresistibly danceable tunes on there but tracks like Keep It Goin' Louder and Mary Jane are a let down and, to be honest, I have been more of a fan of the countless remixes of Hold the Line than the original. Well, sure it will be lapped up by all hipsters (see Guardian's review.)

A slightly sour note to the whole super-mind blowing project is the inclusion of some artists from the Jamaican dancehall scene who, in the past, have released songs with strong, and often violent, homophobic lyrics. A few examples:

Mjor Lazer - Bruk Out feat. T.O.K. & Ms. Thing

T.O.K - Chi Chi Man: (slang for a gay man) which includes the lyrics:

From dem a par inna chi chi man car.
Blaze di fire mek we bun dem!!!! (Bun dem!!!!)
From dem a drink inna chi chi man bar.
Blaze di fire mek we dun dem!!!! (Dun dem!!!!)

Major Lazer - Pon De Floor feat. VYBZ Kartel

Vybz Cartel: Dropped from the MOBO awards in 2004 for his homophobic lyrics (songs such as "Batty Bot Fi Dead", "Faggot Correction" and "Guns Like Mine")

"Kartel buss one inna batty bowy spine"

Major Lazer - Can’t Stop Now feat. Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell

Mr Vegas song: "Bun Chi Chi Man"

Major Lazer - Mary Jane feat. Mr. Evil & Mapei

Mr Evil (aka Dr Evil): "J.A. Don't Like Gay" and Batty Boys Need to Stay From Me

"I bought dis A.K to spray on all gays..
Including OutRage! whose fightin all our deejays
Gunshots for all you faggots, I really hate you maggots.

Perhaps Diplo and Switch should have chosen their collaborators not just on their dancehall credentials. These and more can be found here. Homophobia is illegal in Jamaica and as well as violent attacks on gay men over the past few years, in February this year, a member of the ruling party demanded life imprisonment for homosexual conduct and the banning of gay organizations, causing outrage by organizations such as Human Rights Watch.

Emerging City

2009-06-15T14:25:00.007-03:00

The Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires does a pretty good job when it comes to festivals. There is not a month that goes by without a big festival celebrating everything from independent cinema to modern art from dance to maths. This time around it is the second Ciudad Emergente Festival which has ran over the long weekend, ending today.

Held at the Centro Cultural Recoleta it brings together new, emerging bands, fashion designers graphic artists, street dancers and film makers. It has a very urban twist on it, two walls inside the Centro Cultural have been put in the hands of two teams of street artists, the dance is danza calleja (from the streets) and the art/cinema is mainly graphic or associated with music. All in all, however, a great opportunity to take a check on Argentina's apparently blossoming arts scene. What's more, it is completely free.

Macaco Bong(ey)

I managed to catch a couple of bands which I'd been meaning to see. First of Macaco Bong (pronounced Macaco Bongey), an instrumental rock trio from Brazil (ciudad de Buenos Aires emergente?) They played an intense set of at times post-rock, at times instrumental funk, at times pure rock. Three fantastic musicians playing with heart and soul. A Pagina 12 article (in Spanish) says they list: "Pantera and Dream Theater to Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Mogwai, Charlie Parker, Joe Satriani, Tom Jobim and Michael Jackson" as influences....

Just thought I would add the poster for it's design qualities.

Later I saw Imperio Diablo, who I had heard a lot of, seen a few videos etc. They are, more or less, a troop of Argentine travellers bringing the music of Bolivia and Peru to Argentina. A mix of cumbia, huayno, electronica, hip-hop and lots of dancing and shouting "heei!" The group play traditional instruments (charango, accordion, flute, pan-pipes, violin, rhythm n brass section) and are backed by a couple of laptops producing beats and overtly political samples. Throw in some Amerindian dancers and you have an entertaining spectacle. Though the bands members may have been to Bolivia's famous Oruro carnaval a few too many times, if it makes you dance, it's alllright!

Diablada from Imperio Diablo

The Evolution of the Riddim (1999-2006)

2009-06-15T14:22:00.002-03:00

Inside cover to The Roots of Dubstep

Dubstep Roots

2009-06-12T13:27:00.008-03:00

Since it's emergence nearly a decade ago the term dubstep has always been open to interpretation, indeed that was one of the enticing things about the sound. Many have tried to define the style, stating that dubstep uses the snare on the third beat, heavy bass weight, wobble, standard quote from film etc etc. Indeed many dubstep tunes fit this description to a glove, however, it has become an umbrella term for a host of artists making tunes around 140BPM. There are the Ruskos, Cokis and Caspas making near chainsaw dub, aggressive tunes filled with drops and ready for the rewind (An amusing take on these guys by Mr Simon Reynolds in the Guardian in which he called Caspa "The Guy Ritchie of Dubstep" Forum bait,) the synthy madness of Zombie and the Purple Trinity (Joker, Guido, Gemmy), the tech-influenced 2562, TRG, Headhunter, Pevrelist, the dub influenced Mala, RSD, Mungo's Hi Fi, the many arriving from the D'n'B scene, not to mention the countless artists working somewhere in between (where do you put Hyperdub Records?!).

The emergence of the sound and it's structure comes from the dark 2-step garage which emerged at the start of the decade, associated with Ghost Records and artists such as EL-B, Horsepower Productions and Steve Gurley. For an introduction check out the Roots of Dubstep CD on Tempa or United Vibes History of Dubstep Mix. Equally, another, far superior Reynolds' article which appeared in The Wire back in the day is great read charting the progression of UK garage, 2-step etc.

Loefah, of DMZ fame, recently set up Swamp 81 Records (named after the Met police's stop and seach operation which caused the 1981 Brixton Riots), an outlet for the dark, rolling 2-step garage sound in the context today's dubstep scene. The excellent Blackdown blog has an interview with Loefah and Kryptic Minds, who are heading the first Swamp 81 releases. It sums up Loefah's thinking behind setting up the label and his reflections on the scenes progression. Listening to a preview mix (DL here) of the new Kryptic Minds stuff is dark. It is futuristic, murky 2-step, full of atmousphere, clicks and rhytmic urgency. As Reynold's ends his article, written in 1999: "two-step sounds like it has a whole world of places left to go." He was right.

Kryptic Minds Studio Mix - DL here
Kryptic Minds - Untitled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - The Weeping - Disfigured Dubz Dub
Kryptic Minds - Untitled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - Untitled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Leon Switch - Latin Dub - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - Wondering Why - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - Untitled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - Unititled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Leon Switch - Untitled - Osiris Music uk Dub
Kryptic Minds - Three Views Of A Secret - Swamp 81 Dub
Kryptic Minds - Mercury Rising - Dub
Kryptic Minds - Bad Man - Dub
Kryptic Minds - Rubberman - Dub
Leon Switch - Untitled - Dub
Kryptic Minds - Dissolved - Swamp 81 Dub
Kryptic Minds - One Of Us - Swamp 81
Kryptic Minds - Organic - Swamp 81 Dub
Kryptic Minds - Follow Me - Dub

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume III

2009-06-02T18:51:00.007-03:00

Another month passes and it is time for another Rhythm 'n' Roots mix. This time inspiration came from the latest ZZK Compilation and includes four tracks from the album as well as a few other ZZK tracks from other releases and a whole host of great music drawn from my collection and new discoveries from scouring the internet. It has lots of rhythm and lots of roots for the arrival of summer in the northern hemisphere and winter down here in the southern.

Winter is a comin' in (Photo from here)

Download, listen, spread it around and enjoy! (Click the snow or the link below.)

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume III

Tracklist

Lulacruza - Soloina
Doña María - Doña María
Marta Gómez - Chicharra
Caballeros Con Descuento - El Francés
The Knife - Got to Let You Go (Tropical Mix)
Chancha Via Circuito - Selva
Omzo - Li Guen Pt II
Kingdom - Jump Up Step Back
Princessa - I Feel So Good (El Remolón Mix)
Petrona Martínez - Un Niño Que Llora en Las Montes de María + El Hueso (King Coya Remix)
Frikstailers - Cumbia Kamisama
Kirat - Mamma
Balkan Beat Box - Habibi Min Zaman (BBB Remix)
Passaic (?) - Goza New Jersey, Baile New York
Systema Solar - Mi Kolombia
El Remolón - Escape a Barcelona (Ft Blitto & Jahcoozi)
Flying Lotus - GNG BNG
Chosan, LF & El Gambina - O.N.E. (One.Nation.Emerging)
Kinksi - Badunk Gadunk (VS Burial)
Daleduro - La Poli
The Heatwave - Piano Riddim (Rubidan Vocal - Higher Heights)
Theophilus London - Grey X Stage (El Buho Remix)

Earlier Mixes:

March 09 - Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume I

April 09 - Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume II

Jace Clayton aKa DJ/Rupture

2009-06-01T12:00:00.005-03:00

I have been a big fan of DJ/Rupture ever since I heard his Gold Teeth Thief and Minesweeper Suite mixes/albums/creations. His blog is full of all sorts of random musical journeys and I hear his DJ sets aint bad. It seems he also wrote one of the best articles I have read on cumbia and more specifically, cumbia in Argentina (for an american, this man knows his cumbia.) It appeared in The Fader back in July/August 2008. Here is an extract:

The 2001 economic crisis saw the real value of the Argentine currency plummet by seventy-five percent. Folks with $100,000 in the bank suddenly had $25,000. The underclass hemorrhaged, rich turned poor. Who could stomach flowery love songs after that? This nasty reality slap boosted cumbia villera’s popularity to astronomical heights. “The villa is in a state of emergency,” says Lescano. “A kid dies in the villa and it doesn’t matter. You say ‘black’ not for the skin color but for the barrio you live in.” The lethal popularity of a cheap new drug called paco (like crack, but worse—few addicts survive past six months) has made edge living even more raw. But a bizarre umbilical connects freedom and neglect. Even though cumbia has maintained incredible popularity across South America for decades, its mala reputación meant that it never garnered much external interest. Cumbia kept growing, with nobody to answer to but its fans and followers.

Read the full article here.

Mapping Music

2009-05-31T17:44:00.004-03:00

A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or “basic musical language” (van der Merwe 1989, p.3). Music may also be categorised by non-musical criteria such as geographical origin though a single geographical category will often include a wide variety of sub-genres (Music News Review)

I was thinking recently what with this global exchange of music that it would be interesting to create some kind of chart, a comprehensive guide to music and it's roots. Plotting influences, genres, movements etc. I imagine it would consist of lots of arrows and names. I started to dig around google and try out with different search terms. There is Ishkur's Guide to Electronic music but it is all tongue in cheek and now feels a bit outdated. Then I found this chart (Wikipedia) which resembles more or less what I had in mind, it is a graph of cuban music with extras added in.

I then found this blog: Digital Music Collector who is in the process of constructing a music genre map, a very comprehensive one by the sounds of things.

Obviously it should be merely a guide which traces the evolution of music but does not constrain or attempt to define artists etc. But for example the evolution of cumbia, the roots of Reggaeton, tango's Italian/spanish/folkloric influences. The possibilities are endless and especially if it was user friendly or possibly Wikipedia-ish, in that users could update information, provide descriptions, new genres (all monitored, to an extent.) Also sites like LastFm could link into the information for users listening, music players could use the genre tag and link to the site. Etc etc. If anyone is interested or would like to offer support to the programmer behind the Music Genre Tree site contact here: Contact

Blogged Down

2009-05-31T15:57:00.006-03:00

After being drawn into starting my own music blog I soon discovered that the world of music blogging reaches far wider than you could imagine. All across the world people are blogging and promoting the music they love. I could easily spend a whole day trawling through blogs downloading music, reading about the latest musical happenings or hidden gems from the Ivory Coast to Brooklyn. Each blog in turn links to it's own favourite blogs which in turn lead you to more and more. The sphere is endless. For a fan of "world" music or of music as a whole, it is an inexhaustable gold mine.

Exaple: yesterday I had a few hours spare and decided to catch up on the blogs I have in my blogroll (<--- see over there.) I then headed to their own favourite blogs which in turn led to more, whose posts had links to more. I arrived at a blog called Awesome Tapes from Africa which uploads and shares music from cassettes found accross Africa. Ethiopian Jam's, Eritrean pre-banjo, banjo music, mixtapes from Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and more. An incredible gem of a site. Then I found Radiodifusion which hosts a large collection of MP3s sorted by country. Then there is the blog of then man who spent three years in West Africa digging for rare records and coming back to Brooklyn and sharing them with the world. Not to mention the sites which bring all of this stuff together like Ghetto Bassquake.

Awesome tape from Africa

Who would've thought Soca music would reach Brooklyn clubs or that Angolan Kuduro music would take the world by storm thanks to a pair of Portuguese DJs or indeed that people might be mixing cumbia with hip-hop, dancehall or dubstep?! These are exciting musical times, don't sleep on it.

King Kerpel

2009-05-29T14:44:00.008-03:00

Another trip out to ZZK and another excellent night with King Coya the invited guest DJing/showcasing his new album. He was joined by La Yegros providing live vocals. The multi-talented man behind King Coya is Gaby Kerpel who produces and DJ's cumbia electronica under King Coya, appears alongside Julian Gomez under the El Trip Selector pseudonym and produces/sings/composes under his own name.

I did a bit of research on Snr Kerpel and found some interesting trivia. He got into music production while working for two renowned theatre groups(La Organización Negra y De La Guarda) where he was in charge of producing the sounds and music for the experience. He is also the brother of Anibal Kerpel who, alongside Gustavo Santaolalla, has produced albums for some of the biggest names in Latin American music (Molotov, Café Tacuba, Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Árbol etc etc.) They also co-produced Gaby's album Carnabailito.

Gustavo Santaoalla

On a side note, Santaolalla is famed for his work on film soundtracks. He composed the soundtrack for Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Motorcycle Diaries (winning a BAFTA) and won two Oscars for Brokeback Mountain and Babel. Quite the mentor then?

Last night was a taster for Kerpel's new album Cumbias de Villa Donde as King Coya and it sounded fantastic! Though I could count ZZK's releases on one hand (Chancha Via Circuito, Fauna, El Remolón, the compilations) judging on the quality of these, King Coya's forthcoming album is much anticipated!

In the meantime here is a King Coya Remix of Petrona Martinez's Un Nino Que Llora en los Montes de Maria. Save Petrona Martínez's story for another day!

Petrona Martínez - Un Nino Que Llora en los Montes de Maria (King Coya Remix)

tilidom.com

Doña María

2009-05-23T19:51:00.010-03:00

Headed to Le Bar in the micro-centro last night for a mojito tranquilo and was delighted to discover Doña María playing live. First I had heard of them but really enjoyed the show and the reaction of the audience was great. Mucha onda!

They have vocalists, a chap on turntables, double bass, percussion and guitar. A real mix of styles from Argentine folk to cumbia, electronica and beyond! A quick song and video here (pretty different styles):

Doña María - Doña María
tilidom.com

ZZK Volume II

2009-05-15T21:38:00.008-03:00

After heading down to ZZK's weekly extravaganza last night I grabbed a copy of their latest compilation album; ZZK Sound Vol.2. I am currently giving it the first listen and have to say I am impressed, the sound is progressing, it is not just stuck on Cumbia with electronic beats. There are of course some great sounding electronic cumbia tracks such as Uproot Andy's Brooklyn Cumbia but it is far more diverse. Another snapshot of what is going on in the southern hemisphere.

The styles are all over the shop and a fine and intriguing shop, bit like an antique shop: full of stuff. There are tracks which passed me by and then there are tracks which grabbed me and said: LISTEN!!! Which is obvious given it's size (19 tracks - value for money or what!) Give it a listen on ZZK's webiste where you can download individual tracks. I also snapped up the previously mentioned Chancha Via Circuito album, also recommendedededed!

I have picked two examples here for your listening pleasure but there is MORE, much more. You can buy the album (MP3) from ZZK themselves here: ZZK Volume II and apparently Amazon (they are going up in the world!) Though it says 23rd June is the release date? Hmmm. Watch this space, or ZZKs.

Lulacruza - Soloina:
tilidom.com

MeNeo - La Licuadora
tilidom.com

BIG up ZZK!

"Argentina Potencia"

2009-05-15T21:16:00.004-03:00

I just picked up the latest copy of Los Inrockuptibles, the best mainstream music magazine I have found in Argentina (feel free to enlighten me.) Inside there is an article all about the tropical electronica scene, of course concentrating on the ZZK crew, a good introduction to the scene covering all the bases. Anyway, on the second page they list the artists which are making the scene what it is today (shining in it's own light...) here it is:

Daleduro
Chancha Via Circuito
Fauna
Lo Pibitos
The Peronists
Princesa
Sonido Martines
DJ Campeón

A couple are new to me, worth checking them out, especially Chancha Via Circuito whose album Rodante is packed full of exciting music for trains and nightclubs.

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume II

2009-05-07T21:43:00.009-03:00

The has come once more to present some fairly fantastic musical creations in the form of a miiixxx! 45 minutes of upbeats of Dubstep, Baile-funk, Dancehall, whatever (!) around 135bpm.

Download, dance and enjoy here (or for a more fun way, click the bear!):

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume II

Tracklist

Chancha Via Circuito - Buceato
Rustie & Joker - Play Doe
Max Peezay - Komrfrån
Daleduro - Bombon Asesino
Zgomot - Gypsy Step
Frederic Galliano - Até Quando
Debasser - KLS (Si Begg Remix)
Benga - Hotstepping
Zinc ft Nolay - Killa Sound
Major Lazer - Hold the Line (Omri Anghel Remix)
Ghislain Poirier - Blazin (Starkey Remix)
DJ C & Zulu - Animal Attraction
Roska - In Your Handbag
Frikstallers - To Com Saudade
La Roux - Quicksand(Mad Decent Alternate Southern Rmx 2)
Ramadanman - Penn Hill
Martyn - These Words

UKFHSE (United Kingdom Funky House Scene Explorations)

2009-05-07T13:41:00.004-03:00

London must be such an amazing place to live/work/be for anyone interested in progressive music. The birthplace of so many fresh sounds, the latest I have recently stumbled into is the UK Funky House scene. Something like a mix of Funky House, garage, grime. etc. I was initially sceptical, having heard some fairly bland house music with female vocals over the top but I decided to dig a bit harder.

Rinse FM is the place to go, Marcus Nasty and Mac10's show is as good a place to start as any (Yesterdays show here). Also recommended is Grevious Angel's Funky House Manifesto, a selection of top tunes taken from radio shows. A great website following all kinds of new sounds and styles (Dancehall-Carribean Rave) which also incorporates UK Funky House is The Heatwave. Lots of downloads, mixes and interesting stuff. A final link to FACT magazine and its amzing collection of mixes: FACT Mixes such as the Roska (number 23...see below) and Greena mixes. With DJs like Ramadanman and Kode9 throwing it into their sets, it is getting making a lot of noise!

The tunes which really get me are the rhythmically moving, tropical, truly funky stuff. It just seems so danceable, can't wait to hear it out live some place. UK Funky House hasn't quite reached Buenos Aires yet. As for artists, from the few I have heard, Geeneus seems to be the man, I also have a few tracks by Roska, I am on the tip of the iceberg I suppose! Here is an ace track which appeared on The Heatwave:

Rubi Dan & Chinski - Big Boi Spitta

tilidom.com

Grass 'n' Roots

2009-04-28T17:23:00.003-03:00

Illuminate, the Argentine hip-hop group, have turned their talents to promoting and showcasing DJs spinning something original. Every Thursday in May they are putting on a night of music and images with a uniting theme: Grassroots (pretty good for this blog then?)

Going back to the roots of many now mutated styles, they wil be showcasing:

07/May - Hip-Hop: LA TEJA PRID E - DJ ROB
14/May - Dub: HUMANIDUB - DJ DALEDURO
21/May - Funk: AFROMAMA CREW - DJ CASABLANCA (100% Vin)
28/May - Dancehall:: DJ NELSON - DJ SANTI PALAZZO

What's more, they will be performing live at each show (under a different guise!) have a human beat-box on call and VJ Pablo DSG doing the images.

@ MAKENA CANTINA CLUB (Fitz Roy 1519 - Palermo) 22hs, 10pesos entrance. Get on the list here: raizdepasto@gmail.com

B.A.=post rock.

2009-04-28T00:06:00.006-03:00

As I sat in front of the Obelisco this afternoon waiting for a friend it struck me that post-rock is as good a soundtrack to this manic city as any. I don't know if anyone has seen the film Baraka? (We watch it every week in my Geographia Generál class.) Well, it has really epic soundtrack and I recall shots of ant like people crossing huge roads (Tokyo, New York) B.A. today was just like the film: huge swathes of ants criss-crossing the suitably epic Avenida 9 de Julio. I sat and watched accompanied by my first BA Post-Rock discovery, Go Neko!
(Mamushka Dogs are on that shit - download Go Neko! heeere!!)

Go....Neon-ko!

Undoubteldly influenced by the likes of Mogwai, GYBE etc (aren't they all?) I have to say it aint too bad! Looking forward to catching them live if possible, Post-Rock, if its good, is always more impressive live. This brings me to another little chip which weighs heavily on BsAs's shoulder. Since the Cromagnon fire some five years ago, in which 194 people died, the city's live music/part/club night scene has been incredibly stiffled. The sheer costs and red-tape associated with organising an event puts off your average indie-kid or your underground rave organiser. Paying the police, security and endless regulations. (I am not saying that these are not in place for a reason; safety matters, but could a reasonable agreement not be reached?)

A friend was telling me that around 2004 many bands just gave up and an upcoming scene was killed off in a matter of weeks. There was insufficient support from the government and the costs of putting on shows quickly made it impossible for independent promoters to get a foothold without considerable backing.

These conditions are smothering what could and SHOULD be a flourishing scene. Man, this city has 12million people! The diversity must be incredible. It should be a hot-spot of culture, experimentation and freedom. Granted it is a hugely cultural city (theatre, cinema, festivals, events) but I am yet to witness something really fresh and underground (maybe it is just a case of knowing where and when?) It is time for things to change. There are people who want it and who see what is happening in cities like New York or London. Granted this is Latin America and it is not, economically, on the same scale, but BA has potential, so much potential!

*Stands down off soapbox*

Techno-Babble

2009-04-26T18:44:00.004-03:00

Music blogs are great, lots of free music but what has got to me over the years is not being able to listen to music. The fact that I am a little ignorant of the ways of HTML and such mysteries has left me searching for an easier option. After a bit of a dig I found Dewplayer and Tilidom which allow you to upload tunes and put them into a streaming application. Means people can listen to the tunes! Woo. On that celebratory note here's one I made earlier, a sort of rhythmic work out:

El Buho - Polynesia

tilidom.com

Una noche vaga

2009-04-26T17:45:00.004-03:00

Yesterday I made the lengthy trip out of the Buenos Aires limits to Ituzaingó (great name - after the Battle of Ituzaingó) for the Inversa night. The linepup included Negro Moreno, Onda Vaga, El Remolón, Leonchalon and DJ Raffa.

Negro Moreno spun mainly cumbia bootlegs mixing it all up, lot of US hi-hop (Wu-Tang, O.D.B. etc...) I guess he was warming the crowd up.

I think a lot of people came to see Onda Vaga, a band on the up, and a lot of people were a little disappointed. They were plagued by technical issues (lack of monitors, instruments unamplified etc) and their sound never managed to fill the vast space of the venue. Despite this, they looked and acted the part. Five bearded chaps sharing vocals and instruments at every opportunity. A sea of harmonies and brass (amplified acoustica?) which could be categorized, appropriatley, as vagabond music. Will be good to see them again in a better venue (KONEX on Wednesday perhaps?)

Onda Vaga - Me Pega Fuerte:
tilidom.com

After the Vaga Onda of Onda Vaga, another sluggish artist took to the stage, El Remolón (translating as the lazy one...) and blew me away.

He played a live set on his mac using a midi keyboard, microphone and percussion. A set of pure fire skewed kumbia. Randomly singing Manu Chao, sampling Madonna, improvising on his little keyboard and a nada k ver Calle 13 remix. This guy is pushing it forward and I can't wait to get hold of the B-sides from his smashin' Pibe Cosmo album. Listen to some previews here:

Matias Aguayo - Minimal (El Remolón Remix)

El Remolón - Veridis Quo (Daft Punk reprise) vs De La Soul

Animal Collective - My Girls (El Remolón Cumbia Mix)

Alcides - Violeta (El Remolón Remix)

Leonchalon closed the night, a local reggae band, and they were...an above average local reggae band. The crowd got deep into. I left at 5:35am on a bewilderingly busy Sunday morning train back to Bs As just in bed just in time for sunrise.

Mouse in the house.

2009-04-22T00:02:00.004-03:00

I am stumped by this guy. I just don't get it but he is entertaining. The man is one of the following: a) some kind of underground, electronica artist exploring and experimenting with new directions. b) a flogger (still not sure what this flogger thing is all about...) taking himself way too seriously or c) a joke. Decide for yourself.
Wikipedia comes to the rescue!

"La versión actual de este artículo o sección parece estar escrita a modo de publicidad."

Or not...I think that roughly translates as: he wrote his own wikipedia entry. So the artist known as Mäuss has 1 official website, 2 fotologs, a wikipedia entry and 6 myspaces! Man alive! The most prolific underground artist in Argentina?

He is the DJ. (Are these what you call floggers?)

El Beso

Finally I leave with a quote, a gem of 8-bit cumbia and Charlie Parker meets a drum machine:

Mäuss Y la sonora 8-Bits - Lapa Changa

Está inmerso en otro proyecto de experimentación con la música tropical, la electrónica y el minimal, bajo un proyecto de teknotrónika, al que denominó como Mäuss Y la sonora 8 bits. (Like Skwee meets cumbia on a mobile phone.) Integra paralelamente un trío de electronic jazz junto al flautista & saxofonista Martín Barcos y el bajista Santiago Olivera (dos de los músicos de jazz más talentosos de la Mesopotamia), con quienes hace versiones de Charlie Parker.

Coachella: sounds pretty spanish to me!

2009-04-21T23:05:00.003-03:00

Seems everybody who is anybody in the US was at Coachella this weekend. Bastards. Another dizzy line-up which I think is just plain indulgent. Like easter. Interestingly however, there was quite the "latin" contingent reppin' (well...Mexico and Argentina...):

El Gran Silencio (Mexican-Ska-Rap?!)
Molotov (Mexican Rock leeegeeends)
Bajofondo (Exportable electro-tango)
Zizek ( The real, the symbolic or the imaginary?)
Calexico (Tex-Mex-Met-Text)
Mexican Institute of Sound (Mex-Mex-Mezcla)

Slavoj didn't make it to Coachella, Zizek did.

Also some other worldy sounds and rhythms such as Kuduro Kings, Buraka Som Sistema who Diplo seems to think are fairly mad and fairly decent (see his blog for some cochella crowd action)

In other news, the seemingly pleasant D/J Rupture goes shopping for cumbia (this man gets EVERYWHERE!) Also check the nod to blogs and being into the latest "thing" + Cumbia! Caught red handed. Time to look for the next fashionably, underground yet exportable world music and blog about it before anyone else! (Apologies for the cynicism...I do truly dig innovation)

I'm the Pacman, bee bap bap badapbab

2009-04-18T17:38:00.003-03:00

On a lighter note...the french madman/genius (you decide) Remi Gaillard has done it again. The man who brought Mario Kart to the streets and dressed up as a big Kangaroo has released a new video:

PAC MAN (REMI GAILLARD)
Uploaded by nqtv

Check out his other vid-e-oh-s here (or DailyMotion I guess...):
N'Importe Qui

Future Stuff & Miss Bolivia!

2009-04-15T19:37:00.008-03:00

Another little recomendation from Bs As: Miss Bolivia! An MC thorwing shapes n words to some dancehall, hop-hip tropical, IDM argentine beats. Funk-key. You can download her EP/demo Vibracion legally from the wonderfully comprehensive archive.org

Catch her out live over the next month (the 29th of May is with aforementioned Kumbia Queers!):

25 Apr 2009

22:00

Casa Brandon

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Ciudad Autónoma de)

8 May 2009

23:00

FM ROCK AND POP - LA DE DIOS

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Ciudad Autónoma de)

9 May 2009

23:00

LO DE GARONE

Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires (provincia)

29 May 2009

20:00

C.C.San Martín - Ciclo NUEVO

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires (Ciudad Autónoma de)

In other news, Net-Lab is based in Brighton, I am not sure exactly what it is or how I found it but it looks great, here is the spiel:

Net-Lab:

Encourages legal free distribution and redistribution of music, via a Creative Commons license
Supports growth of small, independent artists Worldwide, particularly those creating leftfield electronica
Strengthens personal development and exploration of sound, particularly into the avant garde
Presents up-to-date information and reviews on live events and new releases from the worlds of Electronica, Indie, Rock, Dubstep, Electro, UK Grime and more

I am IN. Check out the releases for good shit, even an EP from BA's own dubstep man Daleduro. Also little chunks of info kind of blogish. Right on.

Subterranean Homesick Alien

2009-04-14T19:16:00.003-03:00

I have for a while been searching for a really good BA website that has all the shit that goes on in this monstrous city. The best, up to now was WhatsUpBuenosAires run by Mr ZZK Grant Dull n Co. However, Proyecto Under seems to have it's finger on some kind of pulse. I am a little pissed off I only discovered it now, though not sure how long it has been going.

Not only covers BA but also Córdoba, La Plata n Santa Fé. Also has reviews, classifieds, news, playlists, viedo, agenda, all sorts of loveliness. A bit rough round certain edges but I like.

LGBTCumbia

2009-04-14T17:36:00.006-03:00

I may be late on this bandwagon but I just got my hands on some stuff by a group called Kumbia Queers, six chicas (5 Argentinas and 1 Mexicana.) They are all former punks turned Cumbieras (formerly called She Devils). In an interview they said "It is more punk to play cumbia than to play punk." Fair enough.

The album Kumbia Nena is daft, camp and a lot of fun. It is a collection of covers (Madonna, The Cure, Black Sabbath, Nancy Sinatra) and original tracks. My favourites so far are their great cover of the Ramones Sheena Is a Punk Rocker (La China es Cumbianchera) and Kumbia Zzzzombie. They have already shared stages with cumbia legends Pibes Chorros and Damas Gratis and it makes a nice change from the usual machismo/sexism awash in villera!

Download: La China es Cumbianchera

Check out their myspace for stufz.

¡Vamos a la playa! Rhythm 'n' Roots Mix Volume I

2009-04-09T18:40:00.006-03:00

Well, it is easter, I have no classes and no money to get out of the city so I have dedicated my time to mixing music I like together. It has a cumbia hip-hop feel to it with a few surprises.

Download here:

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume I

Or here:

Rhythm 'n' Roots Volume I

Tracklist
TTC – Trop Frais
El Remolon – Bolivia
Conjunto Tipico Vallenato – Cumbia Cienaguera
Los Tigres del Norte – El Otro Mexico
King Coya – Cumbiatron
Zonora Point – Huachita (Douster Remix)
Roots Manuva – Toothbrush
The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit) - Hide and Seek
Syem – Song of Sky
Easy – Horisont
Spartan Lover – Polka Grease
Los Locos del Ritmo – Borrachito
Fauna – Los Piratas del Zanjon
Pibes Chorros – Andrea
Oro 11 – Brooklyn Cumbia
La Integración - La Casa de Fernando
Santogold – Shove It (Toy Selectah Cumbia Rmx)
Black Twang - Red Letter
The Peronists – Travestis Tarot Supercone

Champeta

2009-04-09T14:45:00.007-03:00

Another offshoot from the Afrio-Hispanic musical tree, Champeta, hailing from Northern Colombia (Cartagena,) was harshly criticised by the Colombian govt but it was/is a genre of expression from the poor underclasses (Champeta is the name of the machete used by the workers in the fields and they are nicknamed Champetúos)

It's African roots are clear: the guitar arrangements and rhythms but the lyrics are in Spanish. It's summery and bouncy which is just what you need when you are in Buenos Aires preparing for Autumn. If that doesn't sell it surely this stylish chap will:

Article here

Tracks (this website has more to dl free):

Biofa - Ya Tengo Quien Me Quiera

Edijey ft Michael - Conectate

Vector Love

2009-04-08T21:46:00.003-03:00

This is some next level stuff! Courtesy of Wooster Collective blog, the work of Matt W. Moore.

This one is called Sacred Vector Funk, now there is a spacey song title!

Check out his website; tis full of treasures like these. I am a particular fan of these little wonders: Impressed.

Mamushka Dogs

2009-04-08T16:33:00.005-03:00

Having said BA was surprisngly short of independent labels I today discovered a really excellent label who seem to want to change all that. Mamushka Dogs (great name) is a label run by Luciano Banchero and Leandro Pereiro which offers new fresh independent music from alternative Argentine groups and producers. The best thing is that they are offering all of their catalogue for free download! I guess it is an attempt to get people listening and to help bands get their music out there.

Get on it! A couple of my reccomendations: The Peronists and Go Neko! but plenty of fresh varied stuff on there and freeee!

Cumbia, hay que le gusta la cumbia!

2009-04-07T17:37:00.003-03:00

The fact I am posting this probably means I have too much time on my hands and am spending too much of that time staring at my laptop. The inspiration for this post is the twenty or so firefox tabs of blogs, myspaces, downloads, mixes and pure gold I have found on a recent trawl through the google ocean! After having lived in BA for five months and travelled a little in Latin America, (Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia..) I have become submerged in cumbia (more like it drowned in it; ch-ch-ch, ch-ch-ch!) Latin America's unifying soundtrack, a rhythm which came from Africa, travelled to Colombia and now floats in streets from Lima to Mexico City.

What has stoked my interest is the particular evolution of the sound in Buenos Aires. Before 2000 Argentine Cumbia was associated with a placid Romantic style. However, after 2001's economic crisis, a sub-genre appeared under the umbrella of Cumbia Villera (cumbia from the villas; the poorest areas of the city). Though criticised by many as a style which glorified drugs, violence and crime and held in contempt by the upper classes, it was a social phenomenon which grew directly out of the crisis, felt hardest by the poorest. The music is an expression of life in BA's slums much as Baile Funk was in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

Damas Gratis, pioneers of Villera sound.

Eight years on a new wave of artists influenced by Cumbia Villera and brought together by ZZK Records are experimenting with the sound and pushing it in a thousand directions: think cumbia remixes of Animal Collective, Clipse, minimal cumbia or even cumbia vs Peruvian Huayno! They are taking the rhythms of the street and making them global, bassy and funky. They also have awesome flyer designs:

Courtesy of the world-wide-web and the ease of travelling, mutant cumbia is escaping the continent and taking the underground, dance hungry world by storm. Helped by artists with world-wide appeal and "nuff-respect", (super-star-ghetto-bass crew: Diplo, D/J Rupture, Uproot Andy, Radioclit etc) the tracks are reaching ears in New York, Montreal, Norway and even London. ZZK are currently touring the US for the second time and set to play at this summers Coachella.

What you have to remember and what Grant Dull, the co-founder of ZZK explained is that independent record labels and distribution is near non-existent in Latin America, when compared to a city such as London or NY, for it's size BA is surprisingly musically homogeneous. Therefore the growth of the scene has been dependent on the Internet, networking, blogging, myspace, mashups and mixtapes. Luckily for them and us, the net-underground has latched onto it. I am latching on to them and adding my line to the web.

Here's how you get into it:

@ ZZK Records download their free mixtapes, scour the site for free MP3s, mashups etc, find something you like: buy it!

@ There is a world of music blogs which keep their fingers on the global pulse and have MP3s, mixes etc:

Diplo's Mad Decent

DJ Rupture's Mudd Up!

Matt Shadarteks Dutty Artz

XLR8R Magazine

Ghettobassquake

La Family Dub

Masala

Discontent

Look out for some updates, posts and new music on this blog! A mix is in the mix after the recent mix I did mixing up deepstep and techno (Download here!)