Amazonico Gravitante

Mati Zundel

Waxploitation/ZZK Records, 2012

http://zzkrecords.com/artista/Mati_Zundel_aka_Lagartijeando

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/11/2012

South of the States, the Argentina-bred Mati Zundel has been causing quite a stir as one of the veterans of the Buenos Aires based Club Niceto, as well as an established producer, breaking new ground with a style that meshes experimental dance with endless sounds and textures. Raised on backwoods rhythms, Zundel’s cultivating of this unique brand of dance music is garnering him attention from all corners of the world.

With his first U.S. debut Amazonico Gravitatante, Zundel’s highly atypical version of unconventional dance music is ready to secure new ears everywhere, utilizing musica tipica – a mixture of chacareras, huaynos, and vidalas two-step with electronic work. Armed with shaman chanting and charando guitar loops at the heart of Zundel’s songcraft, the tribal-esque sensibilites shine through, giving it an authentic sound to his roots while maintaining a distinct Latin influence that sounds years ahead of its time. Amazingly, Zundel manages to encapsulate the authenticity of his South American heritage while also channeling genuine nods to African music, all of which at the same time isn’t too far off from a wild block party in Detroit.

With his eclectic background and ability to play instruments most people can’t even pronounce, you might think blending pan flutes and electronica in one song would be a disaster, but things get even more creative from there with accordions, some variation of hip-hop, guitar loops, and a soulful country/folk/psyche-rock. Though Zundel’s quieter points here resemble folk music, this amalgamation of traditional instruments, samples, electronica and high-speed beats ultimately make this a party record for the future.

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard anything like this is before. It’s a wild ride from beginning to end, full of undeniable energy that is adventurous, gritty, and original. Whereas it often seems world music is really only palatable to those who reside in the part of the world that particular band resides, Zundel’s creation is easily digestible regardless of where you are on the map.

Rating: B

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© 2012 Tom Haugen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Waxploitation/ZZK Records, and is used for informational purposes only.