So it finally happened. They found the long lost connection between tango and cumbia.
Just a few days ago we found out about Gotan Project releasing a ten-year-anniversary edition of their debut La Revancha Del Tango with cumbia remixes done by pretty much a who-is-who in the ñu-cumbia scene (from Zizek, to Bomba Estéreo).
Now it’s time from Gotan’s arch-nemesis, Gustavo Santaolalla’s Bajofondo. One of its members, Juan Campodónico, is ready to deliver his solo debut under the shortened alias of Campo. Yet another side-project to add to the ever-expanding Bajofondo universe (earlier this year Supervielle had his second solo album released, good thing he didn’t simplified his name for Super).
Campo is set out to explore the “sub-tropical” side of the Southern Cone’s music, including, of course cumbia, in its vernacular “villera” incarnation. “La Marcha Tropical” is Campo‘s first single and the title and chorus is either a straight-up quote from Kiko Veneno‘s classic Volando Voy (La Mala also quoted this on “Tambalea“), or just a huge coincidence. Either way, it has that inimitable stamp of refinement that only Bajofondo can provide and it sounds a million times better than most other ñu-cumbia experiments polluting soundcloud, including my own, ahem.