Things haven’t been the same since cumbia went digital at the turn of the century. By that, of course I mean that things got better! Not only is there more cumbia to go around but there are different types of cumbia too! This phenomenon has forced me to use more exclamation marks than a hyperactive adolescent!
Anyway, the latest artist in la cumbia digital is Malefics from Toluca, Mexico, who refer to their specific sound as Dumbia Oscura (Dark/Black Dumbia). I’m not sure if Dumbia refers to Digital Cumbia, Dub Cumbia, or something else entirely because there are a few artists from Peru who use the term varyingly, such as Animal Chuki and Sonidos Profundos. Let’s just agree that this is all so new that ethnomusicologists need to get on it before a fight breaks out at the next dumbia rave.
Malefics, comprised of Sethskeletor, Diablectic, and Siniestro, recently released their debut EP, Fuck Everything And Become Malefics, on Caballito a few weeks ago – a compact six tracks of some sinister (I refer to it as satanic) digital cumbia. The synth bass bleeds like acid from an alien’s mouth and some of the slower tempos give the album a darker edge.
Listen to Malefics tracks “Dance Of The Loving Deads” below and head over to caballito.org and download the EP for free.