By José Gandue @Gandour
These are turbulent times in Colombia, where social discontent, concern over the spread of the Coronavirus, ludicrous news about local mercenaries who went to assassinate the president of Haiti, and the inconsistent results of the national soccer team are all mixed together. But, amidst it all, regardless of the restrictions, the dancing continues., And music continues to be released so that people, in one way or another, keep moving their bodies at varying speeds, depending on the type of rhythm imposed at each second. The same happens on the independent side of the business, among self-managed groups, such as Surfer Gorilla. This duo, based in the Atlantic city of Santa Marta, consists of a Bogota native longing for the sea and the beach, and a Venezuelan percussionist, a faithful ambassador of the Chimbánguele culture. Despite all the current difficulties, they know they can't stop working on their music and therefore continue releasing material on digital platforms. The latest is an impeccable video made in his city of residence called You Got That Bounce. To learn more about their activities, we contacted Carlos Rosales, who, with his unique and entertaining vocabulary, answered our questions:
What's Surfer Gorilla up to these days?
Well, in a million different things, hahaha. We just released the video for the song. You Got That Bounce.We recorded it in Santa Marta, with people who live in the city, with breakdancers Performing a choreography in a single take. Co-directed by this little chest Alongside Daniel Cárdenas. And post-production by David Moreno and his 1.41 Film. On Saturday we launched the video at a super cool place here called Belafonte Co-living, where we projected the video onto a building! We played and had a blast, while the kids danced breakdance. It's been quite fun. This Sunday, we're playing at a boutique hotel called Siembra, a really cute place. And while all that's going on, we're working hard with our friend. Tri-fold brochure, From Costa Rica, with whom we're making an album!!!
How have they handled the pandemic?
Well, with the patience that the matter deserves. This issue, which has already caused us so much trouble, hasn't been easy for anyone. sucked to everyone. But anyway, if there's one thing we really love, it's living and seeing our loved ones doing well. So, we're being very thoughtful and taking advantage of the time we're not playing to compose. I think that's why we have so many songs with the Mae Triptych. Because all we've done is send each other versions, destroy tracks and rebuild them. Honestly, I've really enjoyed the process. Sometimes I think that being in the studio making music is also a lot of fun. Sometimes the coconut try to scratch him the patch to one and all that, but well, I'm trying to control the bad vibes.
At this point, what does Surfer Gorilla sound like today?
I've honestly been terrible at defining that my whole life. I've always felt like you're constantly searching. But honestly, there's no clear direction or purpose, just whatever comes out. Obviously, there are many elements that reflect who we are as people. Mr. Mantequilla on the drum brings this whole Afro-Caribbean sound to the band. For my part, I think I offer funky bass lines And lots of beats. There are songs that are reggae-dub, others that are bullerengue with drum & bass, others that are influenced by lo-fi hip-hop… and that's how life goes by, making songs without really knowing what might happen with them.
What is the difference between making music in Santa Marta and making music in Bogotá?
I think (and I'm not kidding) it's the vibe you feel and experience here. I feel like in Bogotá you're stressed out all the time. So you end up maybe making more aggressive songs, with a faster tempo, with minor and diminished chords, like trying to get rid of all the crap that comes with living in such a big city. Like in all big cities. In Santa Marta, the rhythm is slower. There's the heat, the breeze, the sunsets. I don't know, somehow that influences me more than you think. There have been several times when I've felt like making heavy songs like in the good old days, but I end up adding a Caribbean rhythm, something. slow-down. I know it's a really cliché thing. It doesn't always have to be that way, but for me it has been. I also came here in love with a lifestyle, certain musical genres, and certain attitudes towards life.
Now then, tell me about the project with Tríptica, what does that sancocho taste like?
Well, on the side of Mae, I feel like he's exploring the Caribbean. It's not that he hasn't done that before, but he comes from making pure, hardcore (and incredible!!!) lo-fi hip hop. And we're doing the same thing, but discovering the world of lo-fi. So we're adapting, taking samples, composing. Recording guitars, horns, drums, bass, guacharacas, etc. I like this lo-fi vision of being very focused on samples. And I like the exploration that Tríptica is doing with Latin samples, for example. Wow, he's come up with some amazing ones! So, while I feel like we have very different tracks in terms of genre, speed, themes, and harmony, I don't know, this word just keeps echoing in my head. ‘'The Caribbean fi-type'. I don't know if it exists (I hope not). But in the end, it will be music made with soul and with the sole intention of honoring the albums one loved so much from bare And obviously, the ones we still like. You know? I think something has been happening, and that's the change in the discourse we've had as Surfer Gorilla after all these events in the context of the protests. While that was happening, it was like the mae And I would talk about the topic and make music about what we felt needed to be said. So there are a lot of us. samplers that reflect that moment and our stance towards the government, the police, and politicians. If this isn't the moment for art to speak out, I don't know when it will be!
Finally: how do you envision the next few months, musically speaking?
With a new album (hopefully). And lots of gigs. Things are starting to pick up again now, so we're taking it easy and keeping a positive attitude. But hoping for better days ahead for everyone. And in our case, those better days mean more live shows and more music out there to see who likes it. Ultimately, I see every album, every song, every bass line, as a chance to start over. To try again to make music that makes people feel the same way I do when I listen to it: happiness.
