By José Gandue @spinning zone
Good music always has an element that surprises. A concept that, at least, has an unexpected moment, a texture that, besides pleasing us, awakens our curiosity. We want to know where it comes from, what motivates the artist to construct it in that way, what she is fighting against. And that's where, in one of our typical explorations around the world Bandcamp, We find ourselves with, fresh out of the oven, the new album from Manizales María Arango, better known in the Colombian (and international) electronic music scene as Tide, called Alligator Man.
What she does is not the fusion we have seen and heard about. His aim is to strip the roots he draws upon of obviousness. It's about avoiding the tired and repetitive formulas of both reggaeton and traditional techno, and instead researching and creating., as if it were the target of a sophisticated digital laboratory in the middle of the resonant tropical jungle. Here you'll find dembow, dub, trap, industrial, synth, tech, trip hop, and other musical genres that have spawned a brilliant dark monster that, we hope, will captivate the ears of audiences looking for something that breaks their mold and allows them to discover new ways of listening and dancing., anywhere in the world.
We've found Marea in Medellín, Colombia, his city of residence, And we couldn't resist the opportunity to interview her:
Where did the interest in creating the fusion you achieved on your album come from?
The interest stems from our roots. From returning to our roots with more tropical rhythms and the mystery they hold: in the jungle, in the humidity, in the rivers and seas, in our ancestors, in the corners filled with stories and legends. I think I tried to find this connection by exploring other forms of music besides the typical 4/4 beat, and I found myself flowing much more with these rhythms. Making the album, from the first song to the last, was a unique and personal journey. I've always been interested in the music of the East. So mystical, so hypnotic, so immersive, like the deepest tropics in these lands. And that's where the use of these kinds of melodies came from. Some artists influenced me, like Octubre Libra and DJ Plead.
How would you define, in a few words, the sound of your album?
Urban, mystical and immersive.
Several things surprise (and please) me: the darkness of the sound, the number of references one can find while listening to the material, and the mix of genres, which is quite unusual. There are moments where you can even hear a reggaeton beat, but the atmosphere created by the music is very different from the classic feel of the original style… Am I on the right track with this description?
Yeah!
I don't want to exaggerate, but I'm guessing you want to stand out from the noise around you, right?
Well, the truth is, it's been a new fear overcome, because sometimes I think people won't like it because it's not what they expect, or it's not so easy to define in current DJ sets, which are usually purely electronic or just reggaeton. So, I do feel it makes a big difference, but I don't know if that was the main reason for creating it. More like something that flowed naturally, an idea that developed from exploration. In fact, this was going to be the first album of Carmen La Flor, my aka. of reggaeton, but as it developed I felt much more identified with Marea and with the personal transformation I was going through.
How much has the Medellín scene influenced your growth as an artist?
Quite a lot, actually. On the electronic music side, what brought me to the city 15 years ago was the proposal from artists who MedellinStyle brought Carnival, And on the urban side, he showed me reggaeton as a rhythm very much of our culture, a more cheerful and popular facet of the music we consume in the country.
I would almost venture to say, based on your answers, that you are the result of that entire environment which, in the way it occurs there, is not seen elsewhere.
Yes, someone who didn't confine himself to a specific genre or scene, but allowed himself to enjoy and soak up all the "good" sounds out there and found a means of expression in various musical styles.
How are you going to present this album live?
I think at this moment my only possibility is in DJ sets.
What are the promotional plans?
A couple more premieres and promoting it on music platforms like Spotify and YouTube. So far.
(The album premieres on Spotify this Friday, August 11th. Look for it on Marea's personal link:) https://open.spotify.com/artist/79K0v3JjhMpjrPLJz8RK7N)
