April 6, 2016

Systema Solar | Systema Solar

ARTIST: Systema Solar
TITLE: Systema Solar
LABEL: Nacional
For the last ten years, Systema Solar has been one of the most exciting cultural projects in Colombia. More than a band, they’re a musical-visual collective working in 21st century modes (live electronics, rap, scratching, video projection), inspired by a broad range of Colombian musical traditions. Their first two albums (Systema Solar in 2009 and La Revancha Del Burro in 2014) were outstanding but hard to find in the USA. Now they have a first American release, for Nacional Records; it includes tracks from their two Colombian discs plus their most recent single (track 14). Quite simply, this is the best thing I’ve heard so far this year – it’s a non-stop party. Check out what they do with Colombian indigenous styles like cumbia (tracks 2 and 7), champeta (8 and 9), fandango (12) and bullerengue (14). Two songs here (3 and 6) are built around samples of the gaita, the Caribbean coastal end-blown flute. They can channel dancehall (4), P-Funk’s insanity (5) or an EDM rave (13) – they do it all well. There’s so much great music coming out of Colombia right now – this, I think, is the best band of them all. Run, do not walk, to get this one.
TOP TRACKS:    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    12    13    14
ALSO RECOMMENDED:    10    11

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