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ELPALMAS 017LP
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If you define folklore as the passing on of traditions from a particular group of people, then there can be no denying that Acid Coco, whether consciously or not, are playing an important role in disseminating the folk culture of Colombia's Caribbean coast. Throughout their music there are links to tradition: the gaita flute typical of rural cumbia, the effervescent guitar licks that are such a big part of the coast's Afro-diasporic sounds, the teeth-rattling bass indicative of communities brought up on picó sound systems since the '70s, the unmistakable sound of the marimba wooden xylophone (each note like a rain drop on the jungle canopy), and then there are the lyrics. Tradition should not stand still, and in Andrea's words you find the oral traditions of the last 30 years: on "Hoy Como Siempre" she sings of the need for women to stick up for themselves, to not fall in love too easily; on "Cara Dura" the sentiment is even stronger, its lyrics picking out a male predator on the dancefloor who will not be tolerated; and then there's "Mundo de Mentira" where vulnerability peaks through, the story of a woman whose life has become a "world of lies" since their lover has left. They are stories that could have spilled out of Cali's salsatecas, Cartagena's picós or any club the world over, yet through Paulo's canny production there is no doubt where you are. Dembow, cumbia, reggaeton, even on the spiky Caribbean folk of final track "Por Las Venas" or chiptune melody of "Aquí y Allá", there is nowhere we can be other than on Colombia's Caribbean coast.
"We are inspired by our own experiences, as well as those of others. The last year was the beginning of a new era for all of us and it has left us with much to analyze and the need to rethink our priorities. There's been so many changes on this planet: the confinement, the constant looking back at the past, the struggle of many against endless injustices, love, all this leads to the fact that our new songs have very current themes but that also transcend time. They continue the characteristic sound of Acid Coco, with the undeniable influence of the Caribbean." --Acid Coco
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ELPALMAS 007LP
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Acid Coco left Colombia many years ago, but it's never far away. Channeling cumbia, punk, champeta, reggaeton and other tropical rhythms with electronic sounds in recording sessions that doubled as therapy, the Colombian duo have created a work of visceral emotion that traverses musical landscapes. Love, Colombia, and memories of past lives are some of the sources that inspired the group in the process of writing and creating their debut album, Mucho Gusto. These tracks were recorded over two frenzied sessions in Geneva. Creation proved to be the panacea and Colombia the shelter, a place where they could rinse away their demons by evoking dreams of yore, both musically and spiritually. On Mucho Gusto, you will find rhythms that speak of the density and diversity of Colombia's music. These are styles of music made to make people dance, whether next to an ear-shattering picó sound system, a fanfare of brass, an accordion-led trio or even a family vitrola. On "Yo Bailo Sola" the cumbia beat is unmistakable, yet they break with the dogma of tradition (a recurring theme), the song's female protagonist telling her would-be dance partner to leave her be, she wants to dance alone. The Afro-Colombian party music of champeta takes hold on "Caminando Vas" and "La Chancla", which use the bargain-bin Casio SK-5 keyboard for a sound heard on picó sound systems up and down the Colombian coast. "El Amor de Mis Amores" continues the champeta love-in, its lyrics finding the duo in playful mood, speaking of "The Love of All Loves" who is instantly forgotten when the romance ends. There are tragedies both personal and national, speaking of a Colombia where, despite a peace agreement, activists and social leaders are still being killed on a regular basis. The scars across Colombia still have some way before they can heal, a theme that haunts the cumbia "El Lamento". "Sin Salida" is them at their most punk, transposing Suicide to the Caribbean coast with distorted bass and lo-fi beats, "Solo Estás Tu" brings techno merengue (a popular style from the '90s) bang up-to-date, and a softer side emerges on "Siempre En Mis Sueños", which fuses a ballad with a reggaeton beat. "Nuevo Día" has a pop influence which recalls the beginning of the Rock En Español movement in Latin America. Final track "Me Voy" pays tribute to son montuno, salsa being one of the main musical motors of these two Colombians.
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