Selectorchico™’s Revisiting Macondo Mixtape
20 March, 2015After publishing Uruguayan producer Selectorchico™‘s amazing fusion of tropical bass and gnawa music earlier this week, we stumbled across this incredible mixtape that Selectorchico™ put together just a few months ago.
Titled Revisiting Macondo Vol. 1 and with the subtitle of The Roots of Subtropical Music: Cumbia, Guaracha, Merengue, Porro & Plena Dura!, the mix features music originally released by the Uruguayan label Macondo between 1975 and 1980. It’s music that shows how popular tropical music was during that period. Although Uruguay is often associated with rock, candombe, milonga and folk music, this compilation shows that it was also a great place to hear original Caribbean grooves in the 70s with artists aping Puerto Rican, Panamanian and Colombian styles. Here’s how Selectorchico™ describes the mix of styles:
These different rhythms and styles are sometimes blended and mixed with afro-Uruguayan candombe traditional drums in a particular and original style with a unique, almost garage electric feel, full of sizzling hi-hats. The harmonies are sometimes led by farfisa organ and fuzz guitar, counterpointed with blaring brass sections with swinging trumpets (arranged by producer and trumpet player himself Mario Maldonado) while sometimes spacey murga choirs appear in and out of the mix. Outstanding vocalists are surely Carlos Goberna (from Sonora Borinquen, still active today) and Macumba and his crooning antics featured in Grupo Manatí.
Listen to the vinyl-only mix (stocked full of rarities below):
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177433838″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Tracklisting
Sonido Cotopaxi “Melisa”
Grupo Keguay “Cerca del Palmar”
Las Estrellas de Macondo (featured vocalist: Carlos Goberna) “Si Fueras Tú”
Tropicana 70 “Plena Sensacional”
Conjunto Casino (featured vocalist: Chico Ferry) “Que Golazo!
Sonora Borinquen “El Disco Rayao”
Grupo Manatí “El Porro”
Combo Camaguey “Tío Caimán”
Sonora Cienfuegos “Pies Mojados”
Las Estrellas de Macondo (featured vocalist: Macumba) “María Mercedes”
Grupo Manatí “Jala Jala en Panamá (Outro)”
Artwork typography by Gastón Castagnet – KLTR
Artwork graphic design by Nandy Cabrera
Follow Sounds and Colours: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Mixcloud / Soundcloud / Bandcamp
Subscribe to the Sounds and Colours Newsletter for regular updates, news and competitions bringing the best of Latin American culture direct to your Inbox.