Lisbon label Enchufada continues its 10-year crusade of championing a shift in international dancefloors by slipping in the undeniable kick of Afro-inspired sounds. They just recently put out Dotorado Pro’s debut EP, Rei das Marimbas, which candidly speaks the language of Angolan genres like kuduro and zouk bass. Now they’re giving us a reinterpretation of techno sounds by João Silva, who produces under the name Rastronaut.
The relationship between Rastronaut and Enchufada is tight, as the label was the first to support his music by including some of his tracks on its notable compilation series Upper Cuts and We Call it Zouk Bass, so the release of his brand new EP, Furnas, makes perfect sense. The two songs found here are deeply rooted in the longstanding European techno tradition, but they really pop because of their samples of African rhythms. The title track is a marriage between classic electronic sounds and filtered tambozão that cranks the volume up to 11 with punchy, energetic results.
On the other hand, “Fontes” is a club-ready heater that references kuduro just enough to set the floor ablaze. Both the traditional four-on-the-floor pattern – broken down occasionally by some kicks played ahead of time – and the syncopation and organic textures of the sampled percussion will ignite your body’s primal instincts.
Furnas might be Rastronaut’s first proper release, but it functions as a powerful primer on what this producer is capable of.
Furnas is available on Enchufada now.