By Kelvin Malavé @kelvinmalave
The year 2015 for music in Venezuela It was marked by the birth of singer-songwriters, and the departure of many musicians from the country. The severe economic crisis in Venezuela has led to the dissolution of many bands and several musicians venturing to other countries. However, those who have decided to remain in our country, as well as some who have left, are exploring solo careers to showcase their musical compositions, as is the case with... Hotel, Carlos Angola, Reyes and Iran, among others.
With the exodus of musicians who have left the country, if a soundtrack defines the year, it's the theme song. Maiquetía from Iran, former lead singer of Los Paranoias, who now in solo format recounts something like this:
“What a slow night
The sun will surely come to remind us
that time has passed
and that unforgettable day
continues on its way
And now I'm facing an empty country…”
One of those who fared best this year is Ulises Hadjis, Originally from Maracaibo, and currently based in Mexico City, he is building a successful career from there. This year he released one of the best Venezuelan pop-rock albums of 2015., Pavement, And with his guitar and multi-effects format, he tours all of Latin America, making sure his music is heard in every corner of the continent.
Others who ended up in Aztec lands, with a record under their arm, are the Okills, who after releasing their album Supersonic America They left to pursue careers in Mexico. It's a shame he didn't film enough in Venezuela, because it's one of the best productions of the year., not only for its lyrical nature, but also for the identity of its music.
If there's one Venezuelan musical genre that's been making a big splash for the last couple of years, it's hip hop; nowadays, it's the rhythm that our artists tour with the most abroad. Akapellah, Lil Supa, Apache and even McKlopedia They are an example of this.
Another musical feature of the past year is the resurgence of traditional Venezuelan music, capable of filling large theaters and securing strong sponsorships from private companies. Radio stations don't play it, and there's no legislation to promote it; however, the Venezuelan public pays close attention to this musical format. The most representative example is C4trio, our true “Venezuelan pop stars”, they are joined by groups such as The Scoundrels, Pepperland and recently Acidic Ensemble, with his masterpiece: The girl with big black eyes who eats tamarind.
Venezuelan reggae adapted to new formats this year, and while some good albums were released, such as the second one by Jahkogba, What I am, or the first of Ababajah, Sunrise, The sound system format has attracted top venues, and thanks to Consultorio Records, excellent record productions and outstanding events are emerging. For example, Dr. Norrys, Adelking Farmer, Ras Neftali and Jey Da Polemic, among others.
The same kind of renewal hasn't happened with ska, the rhythm for which we're known outside our borders, but there's no innovation, new concepts, etc., on the scene. A sign of this is that the biggest festival of the genre, Skaricuao, closed with two bands from the last century: Big Mandrake (formerly Without Suspicion) and Kanibal Palms.
One of the best punk albums of all time came out this year: Conspiring in the bar, of The Mueka, They achieve a powerful, party-ready, barroom sound with excellent recording. Venezuelan metal brought us the new work of the Venezuelan-Argentine guitarist from South America. Facundo Coral, who now, with his group Coral, is releasing the album Horny and it's hitting hard with trash music in Argentina.
Perhaps one of the most successful musicians this year is the Falconian Vargas, who with his second plate Dizzy city, He has won awards and, more importantly, won over audiences in every city he visits. This musician, keyboard in hand, performs in various formats and achieves a crisp sound, perhaps making him the "diamond in the rough" that 2015 has given us.
But if there's one group that broke all the parameters in live sound and restored our faith in rock and roll, it's the Valencian band from Motorfunk, who with their ep Dreadnoughtus, They toured western Venezuela; their funk rock, for me, is the best thing that came out of 2015.
Groups like The Little Revenge, Los Tercios and Dandy León, groups that promise to fill the country with lots of music.
If anything has been proven this year, it's that crisis or no crisis, Venezuelan musicians continue to create excellent compositions, once again demonstrating that Caracas is not our Liverpool!
