Hi everybody, and welcome to the Shuffle Button. We’re taking a multicultural lens to our playlist this week by looking at artists from all over the world. Countries like Spain, Portugal, Jamaica, and of course, England are all represented in the lineup. With our trip around the world, we’ll see some different musical styles as well from Rosalía, GotSome, and many more.
Rosalía – Malamente (Cap. 1: Augurio)
We’ll be starting off this week in a slowed down, sinister way. Hailing from Spain, Rosalia gives off a deep and mysterious vibe in “Malamente.”
The stripped-down track has a dreamy and surreal mood thanks to a drifting beat accentuated with clapping. Each element in the song is emphasized because of the open space. Everything goes together so well, that you don’t need to know Spanish to be able to understand the feeling being portrayed. For what it’s worth, the song is about a dreamy and surreal sequence involving gypsies and unnatural creatures. Frankly the beat itself gets that across better than we can.
Royal-T – Flat Shoe Riddim
Keeping up with the stripped-down and minimalist tracks, Royal-T brings some more pace to the table in “Flat Shoe Riddim.” This bouncy song uses unique sounds and deploys them in an offbeat manor.
The tune seems innocuous at first with high sounds that sound like bubbles popping. However, as the encroaching bass-line plays, it brings down the floating and lofty melody. It’s tough to identify exactly what “Flat Shoe Riddim” is, but it’s catchy in an almost indescribable way.
Sharda & Shanique Marie – Wanna Know
Continuing with this bouncy music tip, Sharda and Shanique Marie put us in an upbeat mood with “Wanna Know.” The track has a happy-go-lucky attitude that seems to perfectly place it as a summer afternoon song.
The garage vibe is strong in this one. Shanique Marie’s lyrics are almost hypnotic, especially when paired with Sharda’s slick production.
GotSome – Everybody Know Now
Moving back into more familiar territory, it’s time for some house.
GotSome has a distinct style that combines soulful melodies with tribal drums and a kicking house bass-line. “Everybody Know Now” follows that style and is a fun and tropical sounding track. It could easily soundtrack a jungle rave.
Iglooghost – Bug Thief
Moving towards the outlandish, Iglooghost invites us to expand our musical experience. Hailing from Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label, “Bug Thief” is truly off the map.
Most likely an aggregate sound you’ve never heard before, this track brings together cutesy sounds out of a Japanese anime, an aggressive beat and interesting vocal samples to create a truly unique song.
Going for a sound this different is risky, but Iglooghost pulls it off so well. He does a great job of throwing a lot of things together, while making sure it never sounds busy. There’s a pretty clear distinction between all of the elements and none really get lost in the noise.
You can tell Iglooghost is incredibly creative, but the skills to make a song that’s this off the wall yet not too sonically crowded is impressive.
CHOOOOOOOOON of the Week
Buraka Som Sistema – Hangover (BaBaBa) (Caspa Remix)
This hype track from Portugese group Buraka Som Sistema gets a hefty remix from a massive name in UK dubstep. Caspa takes it pretty light in this one as his main contribution to the rework is the heavy, underpinning bass-line. It ebbs and flows like the tide, but never floods the song.
The track is catchy and still retains the carnival esque vibe of the original but does have a slight edge. It’s like peering behind the tourist friendly veneer of a tropical city. There’s always a dark side and this remix somehow gets that vibe across.
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