Culture

Straight from La Fábrica… GLAMPETA!

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A jot jot jot new Colombian sound is a-brewin’ in Brúglin.

Fusing Colombian champeta with booty bass and dancehall (not so much glam…), Colombian Brooklynites Plastic Caramelo have created a new genre called "glampeta", and are definitely worth keeping an eye on.  We just stumbled upon their MySpace page (thanks to a recommendation from DJ/arbiter of cool Toy Selectah), and are reeeeeally liking what we’re hearing. Sure, they only seem to have a couple songs (with several remixes), and they owe many an influence to MIA, but there ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.

Here’s how they describe themselves:

Plastic Caramelo! The people said "mmmm…" and a new genre called Glampeta emerged from the chaotic rhythms of New York. A fusion of Colombian Dancehall, Cumbia, and Champeta. With the inimitable electronic Brooklyn bass that pours out of the jeeps and rolls down the streets like water from the hydrants in the summertime, Glampeta is fast becoming the soundtrack of a new wave of Colombians in New York. It’s a truly international mixture fueled in equal parts by Afro-Carribean music, Pop Art, and Brooklyn loft parties. The project was put together by La Fabrica, the collective of Colombian media artists and fashion designers Tatease, Lichi, Eddie Whyte, Gasparhymes, Pao Pao, Vivi Lewis, La Nena Sierra, and Momo in conjunction with music producers Christian Castagno and Danny Blume of GoodandEvil. The explosive chemistry of the group instantaneously yielded a new summer hit and a Warhol inspired video directed by Tatiana and Christian Castagno that’s banging the speakers hard, as it spreads throughout the underground. Viva la buena vibra, viva la paz y la musica, viva la Glampeta!

There’s no sign of a performance anytime soon, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.  In the meantime, check out their video for "Plastic Caramelo" (we like the shout out to London-based fellow cool Colombian Isa GT):


Plastic Caramelo from Plastic Caramelo on Vimeo.