Eck Echo Release Tropical Berlin Documentary + WIN New Dengue Dengue Dengue 12″
31 August, 2018A new short film from Eck Echo, Berlin – Tropisches Tor (Tropical Gate), looks to shine a light on Berlin’s thriving tropical bass scene. The German capital has long been an essential destination for electronic music, famed for its techno clubs and as a home for eclectic EDM producers and labels. In recent years, this army of electro evangelists has grown to include Latin American émigrés and nights and labels focused on grooves from the tropics.
A key player in this latest development has been Eck Echo, a collective led by DJ/curator Diego Hernandez who have been responsible for adding plenty of guaracha, chicha and other types of cha-cha-cha to the city through their club nights and involvement in other cultural events and entities. With Berlin – Tropisches Tor, directed by Dalís Pacheco, they showcase the scene – which is often referred to as “nueva Berlin” – that they’ve helped create and the artists and DJs who’ve had an influential role in creating it.
Most notable of these is Dengue Dengue Dengue!, the Peruvian duo mashing up techno with cumbia and Amazonian rituals. In the film they’re joined by Argentina’s Barrio Lindo, who as one of the owners of the Shika Shika label is responsible for releasing some of Latin America’s most inventive electronic music; Coco Maria, a Mexican expat whose DJ sets bring out the mellower, often more colourful, classic vibes of Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Brazil; Duncan Ballantyne, one of the men behind Tiger’s Milk Records, a vinyl-led label who specialise in releasing all genres of Peruvian music, as long as they’re good; and Peru’s QOQEQA, formerly of Animal Chuki.
Explaining why Berlin has become such an important centre for Latin American music Hernandez says: “around the year 2008 [there was] a revival for the interest in cumbia with important compilation releases in the US and Europe by Soundway, Barbes Records, Analog Africa, etc. At the same time, the financial meltdown of Wall Street shifted the demographic patterns. A lot of people from the US, Italy and Spain moved to Berlin, along with Latin newcomers attracted by the city.”
He also believes that it is to do with the general attitude of Berliners to new music: “[There are many] people living here who are passionate about music and are open to diverse influences. In Berlin we have done ‘interventions’ at techno clubs such as Griessmühle, where we would play a straight roots Colombian set and the crowd would respond with excitement. People are not afraid of variation and Latin beats, especially cumbia, with its thumping beat, and at the same time it has an unexpected link to techno.”
To celebrate the release of the short film Eck Echo and ourselves here at Sounds and Colours are happy to announce a competition to win a copy of Dengue Dengue Dengue!’s brand new 12″ Semillero on On The Corner Records.
To be in with a chance of winning the Dengue Dengue Dengue 12″ head over to our Facebook page.
[Note: Eck Echo’s Diego Hernandez contributed to our Sounds and Colours Peru book]
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