May is finally coming to a close and with it, the race for song of the summer is officially on. Fully in-tune with our cravings for carefree beach energy, NYC-based electro-pop duo Sofi Tukker has linked up with Colombian elegancia tropical purveyors Bomba Estéreo for an explosive new jam titled “Playa Grande.”
A pairing made in seaside bonfire paradise, our first taste of this collaboration came last month at Coachella when Bomba Estéreo joined Sofi Tukker for their rapturous Sunday set. On “Playa Grande,” the groovy dream team pools all the tools in their musical utility belt, colliding pop bass lines, glittering synths, and Caribbean guitar picking – while lyrics dipping into English, Spanish and Portuguese cast an even wider net of international earworm appeal. Ultimately, the song’s chorus speaks the universal language of dance as it playfully commands, “Vamos a Bailar! Bailar! Bailar!”
Director Mac Boucher further elevates the extravagant beach fantasy by setting the “Playa Grande” video in Santa Marta’s Costeño Beach, an idyllic vacation destination located next to Tayrona Park, a natural reserve where the Colombian Andes plunge into the Caribbean coast. The clip embraces many literal aspects of their surroundings, with shots of the musicians swimming in crystal clear waters, riding on horseback and partying late into the night. There is also a metaphysical twist to “Playa Grande,” with vocalist Li Saumet taking on the implied role of a curandera or spirit guide overseeing her coastal domain, and cleansing Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern of any bad juju that may have followed them from their northern home.
Check out the song here: