Los Mirlos’ “La Danza de los Mirlos” is a classic of the ’60s/’70s Peruvian chicha movement. This chill, almost-reggae-like psychedelic track has been covered by some of the most famous cumbia acts in South America. Now, the Argentinean collective, Coleco Music, has remade the song into an 8-bit tribute, not only to the legacy of Los Mirlos, but to the legacy of another influential electronic music band, Kraftwerk. It’s called “La danza de los Mirlos/Das Model,” and it’s quite the dance party.
Coleco Music is the project of many artists under the tutelage of Pavlo Vertical. Utilizing forgotten technologies like Atari consoles, Gameboys, and old computers, Vertical and 12 other like-minded musicians have been creating original compositions and 8-bit versions of popular music since 2003. To tell you how far their experiments go, check out the 8-bit/chipstep cover they did for The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” It’s pretty sweet.
“La Danza de los Mirlos/Das Model” is the latest release from the gang, which mashes up the quintessential chicha band’s brand of warm, bass-heavy music with the cold, methodic dance beats of the German wunderkinds. Unlike their counterparts in the Argentinean 8-bit scene—Super Guachin—Coleco Music doesn’t mix in a lot of genres in this particular track. They stick to the pure playfulness of Gameboy and Atari music.