The Great Pyramid of Cholula is a symbol of Mexico’s hybrid and vibrant culture. It was built during a period of a thousand years by a series of different pre-Colón cultures. The first conquistadors found it partially abandoned, and they built a Catholic church on top of it, adding yet one more layer to the structure.
No: this is not (just) a nerdy history lesson, but a way of introducing Vachamata, an Afro-Latin funk band that hails from Puebla and thus gets to jam, record, and perform near this ancient site.
Like the Great Pyramid, Vachamata’s sound layers different styles in order to produce a risky cosmic blend that may not hit the jackpot every time, but opens up a sea of possibilities. They’ve been working on their fifth record for a couple of years now, releasing previews here and there. The record is titled El Nahual, and Ducado Records is now presenting us with a brand new track from it called “Safari.”
“Safari” is a song described as an “exploration of Afrorock possibilities” that mixes different visions of Latin American culture. It’s funky, and you can hear it right now if you just click down below.