In the last couple of years there’s been a great amount of fusings of musical traditions with new technologies and electronic rhythms around the globe. Take the “Nortec” soundz from Tijuana, baile funk in Brasil, “Balkan” beats from NY, or the bhangra beats sounds in India, no genre or rhythm has been excluded and these fusions have created some great and exciting soundz, all the while recognizing the roots of the music by either employing original sampling from the genre’s top artists or authentic instrumentaion mixed together with new sonic manipulations.

So for this week’s podcast we look at one recent trend that has in last couple of years emerged in popularity in Argentina, the “digital cumbia”. Of couse this intersection of tradition with modernity is nothing new and the cumbia itself has undergone much experimentation both in its home country of Colombia or its neighbors like Peru. La cumbia amazonica, or chicha as it later took its name was in the 70’s the modern expression of its time taking the elements and then “modern” instruments of rock: the electric guitar, the moog synthesizer, and electric organ. Taking elements of surf and psych they  fused the cumbia with the Andean rhythms and amazing guitar tradition that had existed there for years. So we’ve included some chicha soundz as well as a contemporary remix of one the genres’s greatest bands Los Destellos.

Additionally we explore other developments and contemporary interpretaions of the cumbia sound from electronic artists from around the globe. There’s the now classic cover of Krafwerk”s  “Trans-Europe Express” by German born Senor Coconut, tropical re-edits from the UK, recent trends from Argentina, and also some new developments from Tijuana. So enjoy the tunes and enter the world of the “digital cumbia!”. EB & CG

playlist:

Sonido Changorama–La Cumbia del Informe

Afrosound–La Sampuesana

Los Mirlos–Sonido Amazonica

Afrosound–Caliventura

Sr. Coconut–Trans Europe Express

Mambotour–Meneito

Wakal–Terraza Mantel (remix)

Los Destellos–Elsa (Sonido Martines remix fest Fefe)

Tropical Soundclash–Cumbia Colombiana (Tropical Treats Edit)

Sabo and Cassady–La Curura

Los Macuanos–La Burrita

Chancha Via Circuito–Bosques Via  Temperley