Bituaya
ElectroCaribe
Straight from Caracas the capital of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, electro-Caribbean Latin hip-hop outfit Bituaya is quickly becoming an act to follow. With a mixture of danceable rhythms, head-nodding beats, and liberating energy, their live performance and their new record ElectroCaribe is a multilayered medley of Latin American music history, socially conscious lyricism, positive thought and excitement—all in a familiar and aesthetically pleasing package speaking to a hip-hop and electronic sensibility. Their live performance, which I will briefly discuss, is one of the more lively and intimate shows I’ve been to in recent memory. Rounding out their short tour in the United States for the second time in their history, their final show was hosted at the Tropico de Nopal gallery space on Saturday July 23rd, the entire evening coated by the warmth typical of Latin American hospitality, punctuated by communally shared sounds from Bituaya’s faultlessly played instruments.
With its distinct Afro-Latino styling, like artists such as LA-based Ozomatli (of whom their guitarist Raul Pacheco was special guest that night), Colombia’s Systema Solar, El Salvador’s Pescozada, and the hip-hop of Chilean Ana Tijoux, Bituaya beckons listeners to dance and the audience to participate. Keeping their energetic pace constant, Bituaya’s music speaks to Latin America as a whole, with attention paid to themes of progress and development for the continent—commenting on politics and social advancement (as in “Oye Mi Swin”) to poverty and underdevelopment, echoing for me the importance of Cuban José Martí’s influential essay “Nuestra América.” Valiant and eloquent with the Spanish language, multisyllabic complex raps and vocals blanket their compositions as their breadth of influences peer through the dense beats and layered sounds yet never straying away from enlivening rhythms. Even my friend who couldn’t understand a single word of the music enjoyed Bituaya’s brand of Reggae(ton), Joropo, Salsa and Cumbia swagger.
A musical history through the urban tales of Venezuela and Latin American peoples, Bituaya seeks to musically explore the social experience of urban life. With a cosmopolitan and worldwide perspective of the Spanish-speaking world, Bituaya attempts to contextualize the current struggles and stories that compose the metropolis in Latin America. Varying from cool Mambo grooves, Bituaya feels like a sonic mixture of references to greats like Xavier Cugat, the rugged Puerto Rican hip-hop in the vein of Calle 13, and even the Son and proto-Merengue stylings of Buena Vista Social Club.
Their single, “Yerbamora” (named after a medicinal herb)—instantly recognizable as heavily influenced by technocumbia—has a humorous sensibility which comments on aspects of mental, physical health and healthcare—an element that is later picked up in the danceable and horn-accented “Bruta Cultura.” Perhaps my favorite track on ElectroCaribe was “Lionza” for its shout out to El Salvador as well as its contagious chorus and infectious electronic undercurrents. Another standout track worthy of mention is “Amor en Cana,” an engrossing story about the realities of life, love, and suicidal depression. Even as you read my descriptions of the tracks you get a feeling of the emotional range and diversity Bituaya is capable of evoking. You definitely get an idea of the collectivity and collaboration that goes into their creative process, as well as their love for their roots and history. Closing out the album is the track “Alerta” a song about América Latina and its future. A good note to close on, this song very neatly wraps up the nine track album while announcing Bituaya’s presence to the world and showcasing their raw, multi-instrumental and assorted talents.
While unknown in the U.S., Bituaya has quite a following in their native Venezuela and has garnered some attention when they played SXSW last year. Expect more for these guys in the future. As for you—stay on top of your Latin American music news and catch them next time they’re around your area—I guarantee you won’t regret it. In the meantime, I’ll be here bumping Bituaya’s ElectroCaribe—I recommend you do the same.
Check out the single from Bituaya’s ElectroCaribe, “Yerbamora”
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