Buraka Som Sistema’s Branko and Kalaf Ângelo never cease researching sounds from all around the world, always finding new ways to integrate very local scenes into a wider musical context. This can be heard on the band’s output, as each of their records are informed by different cultures, like the explosive mix of kuduro, azonto, changa tuki, zouk, and a long etcetera that is their latest album, Buraka. But it can also be seen on the releases of their own Enchufada imprint, especially on their Upper Cuts series, counting on contributions from producers like Dengue Dengue Dengue!, Pocz & Pacheko, Diamond Bass, and many more.
One of the latest one to participate is Mexico’s Siete Catorce, bringing his dark, minimalistic approach to the series with a track called “Syncopate.” The song sounds like deconstructed…everything. It’s not directly tribal, but those triplets definitely give you the vibe. It’s not cumbia, but at the end some digital guacharaca sounds give you a hint of the influence. And it’s too slow to be a techno track, but we’re sure people will dance to it. This is Siete, as disorienting as always.