Photo Credits: D.Nietze
When native folklores vibrate, past is the future. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of Mercedes Sosa death, the duo Los Cabra honoured the greatest exponent of Argentine folklore by vibrating her message and drums sounds.
The iconoclastic song Antiguo dueño de las flechas- an ode to the “Indio” Argentino- is the piece chosen by Los Cabra to tribute La Negra. The electronic sounds mixed perfectly with the lyrics that talked about immemorial South American times and also with the profound and unique voice of Sosa, showing once more how music can be a bridge between times, genders and spaces.
We encountered with Christ Burstein and Manuel Sahagun, the two members of the duo Los Cabra to talk about their tribute.
Electronic Groove: Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Tell us how did the project of editing Antiguo dueño de las flechas come out? How was the creative process?
Los Cabra: After some downtempo shows that we had, we thought that it would be cool to have something that represents us and her voice… was there, all around.
Electronic Groove: Why “La Negra”? Why Antiguo dueño de las flechas?
Los Cabra: We saw that it was going to be the 10th anniversary since Mercedes Sosa passed away and from our humble perspective, we wanted to show our respect and admiration to her, the musical impact that she generated for the past decades, the way that she put Argentina in the map with our sounds and traditions.
Electronic Groove: What’s the secret for a truly great remix? Do you have a particular approach or magic ingredients?
Los Cabra: We think that a remix has to come to “honour” the original, reason why we mostly take the “soul” of the track, harmonies, melodies, vocals, etc.
Our approach: to show something that can be interesting for the audience, something to challenge them, to surprise them (and if they like it… even better!) We don’t think that they are any magical ingredients, it’s a bit of everything with the perfect amount 😉
Electronic Groove: Do you prefer to squeeze a quick mix out of an electronic track or start working on a piece of music of another genre?
Los Cabra: In the remixes that we’ve been working we try to bring something from other genres, this way you can get a different approach from the same ingredients.
Electronic Groove: Are you one of those who think that you can’t get too much of something good?
Los Cabra: (Laughs) You can! But also you have to be respectful of what the original artists wanted to show If you want to remix a song played by a Philharmonic and you choose only to take the drums and percussion… the result will not be the best one.
“We don’t think that they are any magical ingredients, it’s a bit of everything with the perfect amount”
Electronic Groove: Other classics – not necessarily folklore – which are fundamental of your discography, and why?
Los Cabra: Disco, soul, tango, jazz, bossa nova, rock, reggae, every genre has its own soul and movement.
Electronic Groove: How was your year?
Los Cabra: We are super happy the way that things are developing lately, we got released on Stil vor Talent, Get Physical, Gruuv, Sincopat among others. Also, we got amazing remixes by Hernan Cattaneo, Lonya, Bebetta, Elfenberg, Coss, even Andhim was playing our tracks in Tomorrowland or Claptone in his shows!
Electronic Groove: What’s coming next?
Los Cabra: In the next couple of month we schedule releases again in Stil Vor Talent, Ritter Butzke Studios (w/ remix from Kollektiv Ost), Bar 25, Akbal Music and a couple of tours in Latin America (Mexico, Honduras, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama) and Asia (Thailand, India, Singapore, Vietnam) for the beginning of 2020.
Electronic Groove: To close the interview, let’s jump to a short Ping-Pong questionnaire…
EG: How to get the vibe?
Los Cabra: We look at 3 different people in the dance floor, one that is dancing crazy, one that moves, one that it’s a standstill, and we need the 3 of them to move 😉
EG: Start, or close the party?
Los Cabra: Both and better if it’s on the same one!
EG: Empanada CHART
Los Cabra: Onion / Cheese, Korn, Mediterranean!
(We are on a vegetarian path now)
EG: Any school instrument (drums, triangle, soprano recorder)?
Los Cabra: Cowbell! It always needs more cowbell!
EG: Tango o chacarera?
Los Cabra: Tango
EG: One piece of music (or two;)?
Los Cabra: Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ and Gilberto Gil’s ‘Vamos Fugir’.
Follow Los Cabra: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
