Carnival explodes across the world this weekend, and to help us prepare for the international revelry, Colombian DJ Isa GT put together a curated playlist of buoyant, blowout-worthy sounds. The dynamite “Clasicos del Carnaval de Barranquilla Vol. 1″ mix takes us through old-school music traditions that show us how the celebration is gonna go down in Colombia.
“There are some of the legendary songs in their most popular versions…This is only volume one; there are many, many songs left that hopefully will be include in future mixes — for now I hope you enjoy and get in the mood for one of the best parties in the world,” Isa GT told Remezcla over email.
The bass-heavy medley kicks off with Petrona Martínez’s powerfully frenzied son “Rama de Tamarindo” and lingers into the unmistakable first bars of Pedro Salcedo y su Orquesta’s rollicking cumbia “La Pollera Colorá.” Then, Isa GT serves up even more legends: La Niña Emilia’s electric “Currucuchu,” Sonora Curro’s “Te Olvidé,” and serious doses of salsa mastery from the iconic Joe Arroyo. Even if you’re not parading in the streets this weekend, these songs will hand-deliver the spirit of Carnaval straight to you — no costumes needed.
“This is just a small homage of the incredible cultural tradition of Colombia,” she added.
We fell for Isa GT when she released her EP Pa’ Chikirri in 2010. Check out more of the Berlin- and London-based DJ’s music here — we’ll be blasting her Barranquilla mix while we wait for her to upload part two. She’ll also play a Colombian-inspired set at London’s Love Carnival tonight.