Venezuelan producer VFRO has spent the past few months shuttling back and forth between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It’s no surprise that his new project, the upcoming Mercurial EP, is teeming with Afro-Caribbean influences – as well as plenty of baile funk flourishes. The project is set to drop on July 26 through Cohoba’s Stereoptico label – a crew he’s been spending time with lately, as reflected on his recent collaboration on Whitest Taino Alive’s Manda Nudes cut, “Jack Veneno.”
For his new track “Oye Vi,” premiering exclusively here at Remezcla, the Venezuelan producer returned to a childhood favorite to inform his flavorful and bass-heavy production style. Those familiar with Tito Puente will recognize his seminal song “Oye Como Va” right from the track’s opening horns. It’s a reference that instantly creates a sunny and carefree mood – but don’t dust off those cha-cha-cha moves just yet. The track develops into a soaring trap monster with traces of funk carioca, making for a killer club-ready weapon any smart DJ would want in their repertoire.
“I got inspired by Tito Puente (aka El Rey del Timbal), and his vibes to make this track,” says Contreras. “I think ‘Oye Como Va’ is a very important song to me and to Latin music’s history. I grew up listening to vinyl records of songs like this one over and over again, so I looked for a way to include them in my DJ sets.” Expect more club-ready material in the same line as “Oye Vi” on the upcoming EP. “I used recurring sounds from my previous productions, combined with elements borrowed from baile funk, a genre that has caught my attention in the last few years and that I’m exploring right now.”
Mercurial is out July 26 on Stereoptico. VFRO plays an EP release party alongside Cohoba and Bacayne at Santo Domingo’s La Espiral 313 on Friday, July 28. For more info, head over to Facebook.