By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone

By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone

Cover art by Zonagirante Studio 

Electropical fusion has changed. It has moved to a more exquisite, more elaborate stage, with more research behind its development. We can already see in the distance, behind us, the times when it was believed that the alchemy practiced between the folk rhythms of the Caribbean and northern South America and the textures and methods of contemporary electronic music was simply a matter of cutting, pasting, and blasting the bass drum. Nowadays, This mix requires sophistication, because otherwise we're left with the most mediocre of populist exercises in commercial radio. And it also demands privacy, insofar as it is required that it be intended for private enjoyment, regardless of whether millions may hear it.

And just a few blocks from one of the biggest reggaeton hotspots on the planet, where they made the infamous +57 and other disco anthems that are more than boring, A rather interesting minority scene is flourishing, where there is a palpable respect for the auditory work and the message that one wants to convey.  Is called Tierranegra Recordings, A remarkable space for musical development and, incidentally, ecological awareness. This project presents itself as an alternative music label, and its mission statement explicitly conveys the following message: «"We harvest sounds from the moor to the sea.". Through this motto, this collective has developed the publication of record labels, web series, conferences, live presentations and even a festival, held on December 6th, called La Siembra, where there was a party, live show, talks and a sustainable market with more than 40 local brands.

Having said all that, It's time to talk about his latest studio production, the compilation Alternative Jungle Vol. 2. Here we find a more than pleasant collection of six recordings, where they effectively intersect various genres of Colombian folklore, combined with hip hop, drum & bass, reggae, dub, trip hop and other electronic flavors. Setting aside for a moment the social, environmental, and political cause contained in this publication, we can say, without exaggeration, which is a good example, worthy of being exported, of what is now called "folktronica" at the Colombian level. This compilation, which includes new names such as Cleavage, Beyond Me, Inner Groove, Zdey, Select Noise, Animaleja, Moorland Noise and Monoliro, There's a clear, genuine desire to create dancing and euphoria, but at the same time, to be heard in every detail, andbecause the level of work and exploration is remarkable. Here, there are truly brilliant moments where the attempt to reinvent folklore is effective and beautiful. The most noteworthy moments might be the fourth track, A river flows, made by Selective Noise, and then, Tropical rainforest, by the artist called Little animal. 

To good musical work, It is inevitable and welcome to add the discussion on the need to protect our environment, the collection of jungles, mountains, rivers and seas of Latin American geography, which cannot fall into disuse or oblivion. Supporting this sonic endeavor and understanding what it conveys compels us to be more aware of the reality of our environment and our planet.