NAAFI’s Pirata series has become a legendary happening, and its fourth incarnation is characteristically expansive, clocking in at a robust 34 tracks, for which its full hemisphere of producers pulled from reggaeton’s radio bangers to spectacular 90s Brazilian groups. The bootleg buffet opens with ZUTZUT’s texturization of J.Lo and Pitbull’s kitschy 2011 anthem “On The Floor,” a taut example of the collective’s talent for reweaving mainstream sounds into 3 a.m. bops via influential vampire production tricks.
The pastiche format gives NAAFI’s producers freedom to emote widely — the academically inclined Imaabs touches on Mapuche identity for his track “CMB Inna” and then turns around for a deconstructed rework of Bieber’s “Mark My Words.” In other places, the crew takes over the narrative entirely from their idols — Tayhana’s driving percussive Ricky Martin edit leaves little more than a few wepas and generalized joy from his original track “Maria,” and Wasted Fates submerges Cardi B’s hustler mathematics in “On Fleek” with his characteristically precise chime ladders. New York City-based DEBIT completely repurposes Bad Bunny’s “No Te Hagas” to form an incredible layered soundscape one can imagine melting minds in the seats of the analogue panorama at San Francisco’s Audium.
Other standout tracks include ZUTZUT’s exhilarating fusion of LSDXOXO and NAAFI affiliates Füete Billete and a Pirata debut from Patagonian newcomer Aggromance with a reimagining of 90s Brazilian crew Axé Bahia, who came from the beautiful place where Jock Jams meets Abba. LAO’s tribal vogue spin on Migos’ “Bad & Boujee” will most definitely be coming to a club speaker near you. Even Maluma makes it to the party, via Pobvio of Salviatek’s industrial spin on the heartthrob’s “Chantaje” feature for Shakira. The scope leaves little doubt: when it comes to global music trends, NAAFI is watching and ready to remix.
Stream the full compilation below, and download it here.