MAX LE DARON - RAVE MUNDIAL VOL. 1 - NUEVA-CUMBIA

Max Le Daron - Rave Mundial vol. 1

Big, big nu-cumbia mix by Belgian Max Le Daron!! Best summer mix , there can be no doubt about this!

Well, I’ve never been a “funky guy”, in a sense that from my early heavy metal years (pre-history) I have acquired a serious distaste for anything cheesy or kitschy and always look at the darker side of the moon (hence my love for dubstep). For many years South American pop/folk music was put into the box with “don’t touch, it’s mega cheesy” sticker. Cumbia (and kuduro before) has seriously changed my attitude towards “tropical/third-world” beats, thanks to the new producers who treated local latin sounds with more modern tools. And honestly, this music is as intensive as nurave or electro bangers, makes by body move like crazy and makes me smile wild. Sunny tip definitely. Just listen to any Sonido del Principe, El Remolon or Uproot Andy track, you will know what I mean . Thanks to weird science blog for this fantastic tip.

Most of the artists represented in this mix are associated with two most energetic labels promoting cumbia across the world. One is Californian Bersa Disco which released music by, among others, Toy Selectah, Sonido del Principe (best cumbia track in my private ranking – Cargegena), Chancha via Circuito, with one name missing from the selection – that is Uproot Andy. The other is argentinian DJ collective and label – Zizek Records. Villa Diamante, El Remolon, Fauna are all associated with them (another new-comer to the ZZK rooster is none other than Douster which should ring a few bells with fans of blog music). Zizek Records has just released great cumbia compilation of ZZK Sound vol. 2. Grab it, this sound is goona be huge this summer. Check and download Uproot Andy – Brooklyn Cumbia on xlr8r, which is an opening track on this compilation .

Rave Mundial is a continuous mash-up of boosted cumbia pop beats with dancehall riddims and hip hop accapellas, the combination which works for me hot hot hot! Just listen to Toy Selectah refix of A Milli. Mega uber ultra f..g banger, one of the best refixes of this much-too-much remixed shizz!! But this cumbia version rocks hard! Or Shove it remix again by Toy Selectah. Or Villa Diamante - Chancha Via Circuito vs Lil Mama - another smashing cumbia pumping shit merged with hip hop. I bet one could sell this track easily in top-40, with one serious differrence - you could really have fun and enjoy listening to it. But the real highlight for me is El Remolon's remix of Matias Aguayo - Minimal. Minimal cumbia? WTF? Oh yes, fantastic minimal cumbia, with great bassline and slowed down rhythm perfect for head nodding. I really see serious affinity with glitch hop here! And I have to mention a very funny outro – Dizzee goes Peru by Grandpamini !!!! Dizzee's typical ranting clashed with autochtonic indian flute. Completely insane!

Bonus:
Douster ZZK mixtape.
El Remolon ZZK mixtape

TRACKLIST AFTER THE JUMP

Tracklisting

1. Fantasma - Welcome To The Cumbia Party
2. El Hijo De La Cumbia - El Ghetto Va A Mover
3. Sonido del Principe - Pesebre
4. Zurita - Real Hip Cumbia
5. Lil Wayne - A Milli (Toy Selectah Refix)
6. Sonido Parillero - Alta Technologic
7. Santogold - Shove it (Toy Selectah Cumbia Remix)
8. Matias Aguayo - Minimal (El Remolon Remix)
9. Zurita - Pa Pa Pare
10. Villa Diamante - Chancha Via Circuito vs Lil Mama
11. Animal Collective - My Girls (El Remolon Cumbia Mix)
12. Sonido del Principe - Cartagena
13. Chancha Via Circuito - Calzada
14. Fantasma - Muévelo que Sube
15. El Hijo De La Cumbia - Alika Remix
16. Fauna - Los Piratas del Zanjon (Zurita Mix)
17. El Hijo De La Cumbia - La Cumbia Regional
18. Grandpamini - Dizzee goes Peru

Various Artists mix of free tracks

I try and squeeze in this post a few tracks I received over the last few weeks. No music style code, no common denominator, just a good listening experience. I don't want to lose them in the torrent of music hitting me from every possible direction. A bit different from what I usually post here, but not that much :)

Tzochitl Soundsystem vs. Toy Selectah - Hay Guey (highly recommended)

A funky tropical tip for your listening pleasure. After Sonido del Principe smashing tracks on the previous release from West Cost's cumbia imprint Bersa Discos, here comes another champion sound, namely Bersa Disco numero cinque with Toy Selectah (a.k.a. Toy Hernández) and a collection of remixes. Shake your body, move your limbs let the music speak, la la la latino way. Check the label's myspace for other remixes and collaborations, including Boys Noize and Dj Negro.

Schlachtofbronx - Good To Go (zShare) - (uber ultra highly recommended hit now in 320 version)

Timberlee - Gunny Gunny (Schlachthofbronx remix) (zShare)
(higly recommended)

Schlachthofbronx -poppin.mp3 (zShare) (highly recommended)

More killing tracks by cumbia / kuduro / ghetto-bass mega ultra f....g cool crew from Germany - Schlachthofbronx who produce the best "slow latin" music in the world. This time in collabo with Spoek Mathambo (Sweat X and Playdoe) + Big Space (AKA Slush Puppy Kids).


Siriusmo - Uninvited Guest snippet (highly recommended)

Two guys from Modeselektor, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, decided to found their own label, Monkeytown Records, to create a platform for befriended artists. Modeselektor is definitely in top regions of my best electronic artistis list, thus I am very pleased to hear about this development. As they boastly claim „Anything Pharell Williams does, we can do better.“ Well, I definitely share this view ha ha ha.

Modeselektor‘s buddy Siriusmo personally invited himself to be the very first artist on Monkeytown Records. Siriusmo aka Moritz Friedrich is a real survivalist, played in a band for many years and is a fan of old keyboards. As a professional artist (painting, illustration, graffiti) Siriusmo lives off temporary jobs and even does construction work now and then. His self therapeutical way of life shows a new side with „The uninvited guest“ (to be released on 15 June 2009). Two EPs by Siriusmo will follow and album at the end of 2009, all on Monkeytown Records. I'm really looking forward to this release - a fine share of electronic extravanganza and surreal beats making you laugh and cry at the same time. Trust me, you'll really want to have this record at hand just in case :)

“Dangerous MC’s” Redman and Method Man (Bossasaurus remix) (highly recommended)

Negatron and Egon, two funny Bossasaurs in a remix of the great hip hop track from the new album "Blackout 2" by none other than Redman and Method Man. Oh yes, these guys bring us really dope beats and old-school flow in a funky refix. Note from the saurus themselves: The track was also made for a contest with other semi-exciting prizes, but like most herbivores we were in it for the big bunches of green leaves. Please help us accomplish our profound dreams: Knock this shit. BTW - check my blog for a ridiculous mix by the dinos.

BODYCODE - WHAT DID YOU SAY taken from IMMUNE

Bodycode (Alan Abrahams) grew up in post-Apartheid South Africa, where polyrhythmic percussion first entered his bloodstream; he then lived in Portugal for years, sweating it out in Lisbon’s club scene while absorbing the sounds of electronic dance music and releasing tracks via numerous aliases. Three years after releasing 2006’s The Conservation of Electric Charge on Spectral Sound, the man known as Bodycode moved from Lisbon to Berlin. Now, Teutonic house music’s taut, jacking rhythms form the core of Immune, Alan’s new full-length as Bodycode. Immune is a a nuanced, intricately textured album of vocal-laced house tracks and “What Did You Say?” is the first single coming off it. Preview the entire album here.

Prairie Cartel's - Beautiful Shadow (Santiago & Bushido remix).

Potty Mouth's Santiago and Bushido in a pumping house remix of Prairie's Cartel's track with pretty heavy and ass-kicking bassline. The official release is scheduled to take place in a couple of months on the label Long Nights Impossible Odds, however the guys were nice enough to leak this 320 high quality version. The S&B 'UWLMF EP', including the single 'Make Me Feel' featuring Colette is set to be released via Potty Mouth Music on June 9 and will be available at Beatport. Watch out!

Iglu & Hartly's "In This City" (MHC remix)

Iglu & Hartly "Violent & Young" (Minidog remix) (highly recommended)

"Tom Petty meets The Pointer Sisters in a neon karaoke bar in Tokyo singing Tina Turner. The music is a sonic milkshake, a genre blending, culture-defying laser show. Synths, raps, explosive hooks, colorful bridges, sailboats, inspiration" Well, a bit bombastic description but this is really sunny karaoke music for boys on yachts. I like the synths, some beats and funky approach to vocalization. Definitely not my type of music as such, but remixes are quite cool (esp. Minidog's). Find more about Iglu & Hartly on their site.

J Goon and Fresney - Under Rated (highly recommended)

J Goon and Fresney - Damn

Finally, fresh stuff from New Zealand's guys currently living in Melbourne, Australia. Glitchy, booty mashdowns with heavy beats and tight mixing. Give it a try, you'll not be disappointed.