Masters of Komba spirit, “global ghetto revolutionaries” Buraka Som Sistema are just about to drop their new single “Tira o Pé” remixed by JWLS, Jay Fay, and Roby Howler, and we thought it’s perfect time to publish our interview with the quintet, and their new official video for “Tira o Pé”

Buraka Som Sistema burst into the music scene back in 2006 and till today they’re rocking the stage with some of the most intense and raw live performances in electronic music. They started out as a trio in portugal, today a five-member crew can proudly call themselves the worldwide phenomena of kuduro movement. Their latest album release Komba was met with great enthusiasm all over the world when the band took their live show on world tour. New York was one of the stops on the way and we were lucky enough to steal two members of the band from sound check and ask them everything we wanted to know about kuduro moves, Buraka’s explosive stage presence, and their plans for the future.

Interview by WF (click here to get a copy of this issue)

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us what your roles in the band are?

Kalaf: My name is Kalaf, I’m one of the MCs in the group. I also write lyrics and come up with the concepts for art and visuals.

Rui: My name is Rui, aka DJ Riot. I’m the producer and the drummer in the group. My role in the band is producing beats, making songs, and in live shows I play electronic drums.

How did you get into electronic music and kuduro in particular?

Rui: J Wow, the other producer in the band, and I have been playing in bands since high school. He was playing guitar back then, and I was playing drums. We were playing punk rock, rock… not electronic music at all. Then it was the era of hardcore raves, Chemical Brothers, jungle and drum and bass stuff… We started really getting into it and wanted to play it too. So we began working on our electronic music skills. Right around that time we met Kalaf and together started working on his album, which never came out by the way. But we did some other cool things instead, like Buraka.

When you guys are on stage, the whole place goes absolutely nuts! How do you do that?

Kalaf: Well, we have that punk attitude, even though our music doesn’t always reflect it. Our background is pretty diverse, we grew up with rock, hardcore raves, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers… So that punk rock attitude is always with us and when we go on stage we bring that energy.

“When we are on stage, it doesn’t matter to us if we have 100 people or a 1000 in front of us. We just give the same type of show. We are in the moment and give all we can give. You never know, This could be our last show.”

Also, we don’t really think too much about the future. We try to live every day as our last. More or less. Of course we plan certain things… But when we are on stage, it doesn’t matter to us if we have 100 people or 1,000 in front of us. We just give the same type of show. We are in the moment and give all we can give. You never know, this could be our last show.

It seems that dancing is a big part of your music, and live performances…

Kalaf: Right. Kuduro is actually a type of dance that gave the name to the genre of music. So it’s very attached to dancing and expressing yourself through body movement. It’s a manifestation of soul through body. Actually, If you observe closely, the kuduro movement reflects African society. For example Rwanda is quite rough and aggressive and it all ends up in their dance moves. They feel that way and they express themselves that way.

“I think it’s an African thing. It’s all about expressing yourself through your body, through dancing.”

Rui: Yes, I think it’s an African thing. It’s all about expressing yourself through your body, through dancing. The name of our Komba album refers to this ceremony or a party that people in Angola do to celebrate the passing of the loved one. Of course they are sad, because he or she died, but at the same time they’re commemorating his/her entrance to the spirit world. So they eat the deceased’s favorite food, dance to their favorite songs… Everything in their culture is about celebration of life as well as death.

Kalaf: It’s all about expressing yourself, not holding any emotions back. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to dance, dance.

What were you hungover from when you wrote that “Hangover” song?

Rui: Haha, grog. It’s this really strong alcohol, stronger than vodka. You can get poisoned if you drink too much.

Kalaf: It’s actually inspired by our lifestyle, really. There are some pretty hardcore parties in our lives. It happens more often than we’d like.

Were you in some way influenced by dubstep when you were starting to produce kuduro songs?

Rui: I see the resemblance, because kuduro is the same bpm as dubstep, and we are inspired by any style of dance music. Basically, we are inspired by bass culture. And we are also based in Portugal, very close to England, Spain, and France, where all kinds of music trends are happening. And we appreciate everything that comes from the UK, with Jamaican influence, dub, reggae, etc…

“Our shows are non-stop one hour long, so for me playng drums for a whole hour without a break is like going to the gym. I don’t know if I can do that when I’m 50.”

Kalaf: When we started the Buraka project back in 2006, we already were into kuduro, and when we figured out that the majority of it is 140bpm, we were like, “great! This is like this new stuff from England.” And we could do all kinds of mixes and edits, so we did remixes for Rusko and Skream back then.

Do you have any plans for any other projects besides Buraka? Or do you think you’re gonna stick with it for a while?

Rui: I think, we’re gonna go on for now. I’m not talking about those bands that last 25 years, which is ridiculous!

Kalaf: Well, our live shows are pretty intense. I don’t know if I can do that in my 50s.

Rui: Oh yeah, our shows are non-stop one hour long, so for me playing drums for a whole hour without a break is like going to the gym. I don’t know if I can do that when I’m 50. But maybe I can. We’ll see.

Thank you guys for your time. Really looking forward to the show.

Rui: Yeah man, you might be able to pick up some kuduro moves.

READ THIS INTERVIEW AND MORE IN BIG UP TWELVE.

Share on Facebook

From Kimbra’s – The Remix EP available as a free download with remixes from Brenmar, George Fitzgerald, Benjamin Damage, and Owsey

Taken from ANS – Save Our Saw Remix EP

Laurel Halo’s take on Anenon’s “This Is What I Meant”

Share on Facebook

It’s a rare and unique occasion when we receive a mix of all-original material, and when it happens we don’t think twice about publishing it. Especially when it comes to Mite’s all-original material. Prepare to hear a whole lot more from and about this Atlanta-based Embassy Recordings artist, just as his (collaborative with Ewalk) brand new EP Body Tap drops via B.YRSLF. Obviously man’s got a lot more tricks up his sleeve. Keep watch.

MITE FILLING IN THE BLANKS

- Hi, My name is Mite and I thoroughly enjoy…getting high on life

- I hate it when people… see below, re: gnarles barkley

- My Sundays are usually… relaxing

- If I had to choose between producing and deejaying… that’s a tough one. Playing tunes, especially your own, is a different kinda high than writing them alone in a studio. I pick DJing.

- The latest piece of music I wrote was… something at 130

- Track 6 on the mix always makes me… feel sentimental.

- I named my new EP Body Tap because… EWALK and I wanted to write something lush and sexy. There’s this really hood strip club now out of business, which we named it in honor of.

- My mom thinks my music is… “nice.”

- When I start a new track, first thing I do… usually coffee.

- Electronic music producers, please stop… naming yourself in the vein of gnarles barkley. :/

- My most useful iPhone app is… iMaschine

- Daisy from Track 12 on the mix is… a local legend who’s always looking for her special someone, much like the headless horseman always looking for his head. Her haunts are bars. You don’t want to watch her going from person to person at the bar, but by the time you look up from sipping your beer you realize it’s too late and it’s okay, afterall, everyone’s watching! Then you start to think, where did it all go wrong for her? Who’s her favorite power ranger? How does she like her coffee? Daisy if you’re out there…. we hope you find that man you’ve been looking for.

DOWNLOAD

TRACKLIST:
01. Mite + Broodlings – 303 Trick
02. Mite – Hypersex [BYRSLF DVISION]
03. Mite + Ewalk – Ykk (Denim Smile)
04. Mite – Star Architext
05. Mite + B.Laing – BF/GF
06. Mite – For You
07. Mite – Pop [PARTYGUY RECORDINGS]
08. Mite + Ewalk – Body Tap [BYRSLF DIVISION]
09. Mite + Ewalk – Iron Gaiden [BYRSLF DIVISION]
10. Mite – Timestamp [PARTYGUY RECORDINGS]
11. Mite – Overture (Lover’s Strings)
12. Mite, Distal + Silkie – Something Wrong With Daisy [SOUNDS OF THE COSMOS]
13. AXH – Break Me Off (Mite RMX)
14. Mite – Chocolate Circuit [EMBASSY RECORDINGS]
15. Mite – Vimana

Share on Facebook

This Friday No School Rules will be hosting London’s legendary grime label Butterz, as they  takeover Bitterzoet in Amsterdam. Elijah, Skilliam and Champion will be representing the Butterz crew, while No School Rules residents Brutuzz and Giographic will be on the decks to make sure it is a night of the strictest vibes! There will be nuff bike parking outside so bring your ass down to Spuistraat 2, because we are giving away 2 x 2 tickets to the event. To enter the contest scribble your name and email address below. Also be sure to catch the Butterz show every Thursday from 1-3am GMT on Rinse FM, hosted by Elijah & Skilliam. So whatchu waitin’ for?

Share on Facebook

Brooklyn’s heaviest and humblest night Reconstrvct, which has been continuously bringing the lowest frequencies to NYC’s soundscape, teamed up with Europe’s best bass music festival Outlook, and obviously came up with a jaw-dropping lineup. Originally set to be headlined by Goth-Trad it was changed due to visa issues (World Without Borders FTW!), but was quickly rearranged for another Deep Medi heavyweight. His name is concealed at the moment, but he’s billed on the line up above Pinch, which assures that you won’t be disappointed.

First release tickets are already gone, so get on the second tier to save some bucks. Also remember to RSVP for location announcement on the day of the event.

Bold and heavyweight line up:
Secret Guest – [Deep Medi Musik]
Pinch – Bristol [Tectonic Recordings]
Author Live PA – Leeds [Tectonic Recording/ Deep Medi Musik]
Jack Sparrow – Leeds [Tectonic Recordings]
JoeNice [Dubwar/DataSet/Gourmet Beats]
Truenature [Reconstrvct]

Share on Facebook

As Modeselektor duo says themselves, “the monkey on the cover says it all.” Modeselektion Vol. 02 steers away from the usual party vibe we love to hear from our favorite Germans, and explores darker, more experimental grounds with exclusive and unreleased tracks by Monolake, Prefuse 73, Mouse on Mars, Lazer Sword, Martyn, Siriusmo, Addison Groove, Egyptrixx, Anstam, Diamond Version (a very interesting new project by raster-noton’s Byetone and Alva Noto), and many more.

Check out the preview video, listen the tracks on SoundCloud and let us and Monkeytown know what you think.

Share on Facebook

LuckyMe Records recently gave away this track by Lunice.

Share on Facebook

Gefeliciteerd (Happy Birthday) Colors! But more importantly thank you for bring some of the most innovative DJ’s and labels to Amsterdam over the last 2 years. Thats why this upcoming Saturday at Trouw, we have to show our gratitude to the Colors crew by having a night of utter debauchery. To help ring in the 2 year anniversary celebrations, Colors has invited one of the most groundbreaking labels around, Hessle Audio. On deck will be Hessle Audio label bosses Pearson Sound, Ben UFO and Pangaea. Companying them will be Cinnaman, the DJ’s from Audio Culture and Boston Strip. So to win yourself a pair tickets drop your name and email address in the comments box below.

Share on Facebook

Big Up moombahton massive! We’ve got some goodies for you here from Nadastrom and Sabo, who just dropped their appropriately titled Moombahton Massive EP via Scion A/V and are now off to a massive US/Canada tour. We’re gutted they’re skipping New York, but at least we can download the tunes and throw a party.

Share on Facebook

Bath’s remix of Emily Wells’ “Piece Of It” is a perfect fit for Monday feelings we’re going through. It’s a little heavy, a little broken, a little moody, beautiful and brings you to the space between dreams and reality. Download and play on repeat. That’s what we do anyway.

Share on Facebook