Electrodomésticos

(This is an article I wrote recently about a new Chilean documentary film entitled Electrodómesticos: El Frio Misterio which focuses on the Chilean music scene in the 1980s, a time obviously not too well documented thanks to the severe military oppression that enveloped the country back then. Electrodómesticos were one of the main bands back then and I've managed to catch them live a couple of times recently. Obviously they're older, but the music sounds modern and pulses with originality and scope. The musicians are very adept and each of the four members seems to play an equally important role within the group dynamic. Anyway, here's the article I wrote and some videos.)

In the 1980s Chilean society lived under the imposing shadow of military rule and nowhere was this more apparent than in the cultural vacuum that enveloped the country as thousands of musicians, artists, writers, and so on lived abroad in exile. But in spite of this creative exodus a generational sub group of young people emerged into the Santiago underground and developed an alternative scene of musical resistance that, out of sight and mind to most people, provided a crucial release for the frustrations of Chile’s repressed youth.

            It is this backdrop which provides the opening scenes of Electrodomésticos: El Frio Misterio, a documentary focussing on this rebellious movement and its main participants. Formed in Santiago in 1984, Electrodomésticos were key players in the establishment of the underground scene, taking direction from the British punk movement and utilising experimental sound effects. Combined with influences as diverse as Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads and Kraftwerk, the band went on to forge a musical legacy that today sees them regarded as one of the most important Chilean rock bands of the last thirty years.

The film, directed by Sergio Castro San Martin, tracks the origins of the scene in the frenetic atmospheres of clandestine galpons in Santiago such as Matucana 19 and Off Bellavista. The intensity of these venues is immediately apparent in the pulsating energy that surges through both crowd and musicians. The ropey quality of old archive footage, rather than detract from the film, give a raw authenticity that portrays a hitherto largely-unseen side of eighties Chile.

One of the key lines sums up the reality of the time: ‘Pinochet existed but we invented our own reality’. With these low-key gigs the only available escape from the cultural suppression in which young people were trapped, the scene took on a far deeper significance than simply another musical fad. For many young Chileans, this was when they lived.  

Charting the band from its origins through to the present day, the film looks at the paths taken by principal members Carlos Cabezas (guitar and vocals) and Silvio Paredes (bass). Electrodomésticos broke up in 1991 as Cabezas went on to release numerous solo albums while Paredes formed seminal electro-group Los Mismos, before a short-lived reunion in the early noughties. With contributions by numerous friends and associates of the band, it is as much a cultural history of the period as a typical band documentary.          

El Frio Misterio provides a compelling look at a band who surely would have gained more widespread acclaim had they not been constricted by the circumstances of the time. For those unfamiliar with the group, this is still an absorbing film, as the music, the sweeping landscape shots, and the socio-political commentaries resonate loudly of creativity and solidarity through music. It is undoubtedly, however, the first half of the film with its juxtaposition of the raucous underground scene with military brutality on the streets that truly captivates. Winner of last year´s Santiago In-Edit documentary festival, this is an intriguing film for anyone with rooted interests in Chilean music.

Electrodomésticos: El Frio Misterio

Directed by Sergio Castro San Martin

On limited release

http://electrodomesticos.promedia.cl/

Cumbia my lord (and Chorizo Salvaje)

More cumbia rhythms recently with Chorizo Salvaje, one of the numerous Santiago-based bands that make up the nueva cumbia rock chilena scene which is thriving in Santiago these days. The afro-cumbia rhythms are heavy and the demon horn section gives the sound a brooding menace which, laced with the cumbia percussion that energises the whole thing makes for a pretty raw sound. As with all these bands, Chorizo Salvaje get a lively crowd and it's good, slightly dark, party vibes.

They are very bass and percussion driven, with fat horn melodies, with elements of other musical forms from gitana through to salsa. One of the most noticeable things about them is the regularity with which the band members change roles in the band. For example the bass player takes over on percussion in some tunes, while the trumpeter gets on the mike and starts bellowing. There are two main singers, male and female, and they offer very different styles: the guy is more like an MC and riles the crowd much more while the girl has a voice that goes low in a bassy baritone or high in sweet harmony. Her voice is not for everyone but there's no denying she's got a pair of lungs.

While not my favourite local band from this particular scene (that would be Conmoción or La Mano Ajena), Chorizo Salvaje is definitely worth checking out and provide yet more evidence of the vibrant music scene in which Santiago revels. The underground cumbia scene in particular is a key part of the city's alternative culture with hugely popular bands whose main source of income comes from playing live, meaning that there are gigs all the time.

Cumbia originated in Colombia through the integration of musical influences of African slaves with indigenous Indians. Its African roots can be heard in percussive rhythms and vocal dynamics that owe much to tribal singing. Over many years it has spread all over Latin America and each country has its own distinct style, using different time signatures and instruments, as the traditions of each particular region were introduced. In Chile, cumbia was for a long time performed in a romantic context, with soppy lyrics and corny imagery alienating many young people from the vital ingredients that form its foundation. Yet in the last ten years or so, the likes of Chico Trujillo, Juana Fe and Conmoción have emerged to reclaim cumbia and inject a raucous and passionate energy into a previously staid musical style. It now represents one of Chile's most stimulating forms of cultural expression.

Fight The Power

And the spirit is lifted as news arrives that the student movement is getting some international support from none other than Public Enemy who have discounted student tickets for their gig at Teatro Caupolican on 24th July. Reducing prices by 30% to those who carry national student cards, it is the first time that an international artist has shown solidarity with the protesters campaigning for a fairer education system.

'If young people are protesting for a better education, it's something that must be respected' Chuck D was quoted as saying in La Tercera. The news guarantees Public Enemy a cracking welcome in what will be their first ever appearance in Chile. Great as well that at least some musicians can grow old without selling out their principles. And if arguably the most influential hip hop group of all time can support the youth of Chile, surely all big name musicians who visit the country should be able to. It is certainly an opportunity for artists to show their social conscience.

Unfortunately I will miss the gig as I will be back in England for a few weeks but no doubt it will be a pulsating night of blood and fire. In the meantime here's a couple of Public Enemy videos to celebrate their gesture... Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos and, of course, Fight The Power...

The Clan

Tucked away in the muralled backstreets of Bellavista lies Bar Clan, hidden away but a good venue to catch some great local live music, from folk to electro to rock to cumbia to hip hop. The name is short for Clandestino and, as such, there is no sign to mark the place although the music and queue is usually a pretty good sign that it's there. But still, you`ll need to have a rough idea of the address to find it so head for Bombero Nuñez 363.

The place is decked out in some pretty hippy strokes, lumescent designs on the walls and a mellow vibe in the darkness. There's lots of nice little alcoves to sit in and cosy up with whoever and a tree grows from the bar out the back which is a terrace in summer and enclosed in winter. There's a friendly ambience and it's not as much of a piss-up as in Onaciu or the meat market that is Bar Constitución, meaning you can take your girlfriend or date and stilll go to the bathroom reasonably confident that you won't return to a ring of slavering ogres surrounding her.

The entrance takes you into the main bar, where the stage is at, and there's another area at the back which is more chilled out (with the aforementioned tree). It's a pleasant enough layout but the biggest problem with Bar Clan is the location of the stage. The venue is spread of the two rooms in a long rectangle shape. Unfortunately the stage is directly in front of the main bar, meaning that as soon as there are any decent number of people there, the whole thing gets bottlenecked. There's space to the sides but they really ought to have a look at rearranging the place so as to maximise the space. There's little room to dance, and bearing in mind this is Latin America and not the UK, that's a big thing. It's still a good venue although I can't help thinking a financial splurge on changing things around would make it one of the main places in the area.

But the standard of most of the musicians makes up for that more or less and gives a good mix of musical styles. In Bellavista it's probably the most diverse venue and is always worth a gamble if there's not much going on and you're after some tunes. Also, the streets outside are covered in hippy murals and graffiti pieces that give the neighbourhood a rather charming bohemian sheen, in a decrepid and dog shit smeared kind of way.

This week, they've got some experimental hip hop fusion (interesing!), punk surf rock (obviously) and a night of Afro-Latinamerican beats (nice). Here's the link to Bar Clan: www.elclan.cl

Teenage angst has paid off well

More or less the first gig I went to in Santiago (with the exception of this one manic cumbia party) was Miss Garrison in Cine Arte Alameda some time last year. It was a pretty raucous affair, great energy, decent tunes and a heady crowd lapping it up. Miss Garrison are an electro-punk three piece, with elements of hip hop and experimental sounds in their palette, who have so far released just one album but have a strong following. They are in the vain of bands like Cansai de Ser Sexy (CSS in the UK) and the Chilean band Pánico. They are also reminiscent of heroes-of-my-youth Senser, due to the intensity of their sound and the fusion of heavy guitars with sound effects and hip hop beats. They also sing in a mix of Spanish and English.

The combustible nature of their onstage performances is encapsulated in the frenetic presence of the female singer and drummer Francisca Straube, who seems to be a bit of a star on the alternative circuit. She's definitely got the punk spirit and brings a lot of charisma to the band. The other two male members, on riot guitar and effects-laden bass, bring their own styles to things and the result is a heavily energetic sonic boom of angst.

Miss Garrison opened for Crystal Castles in Chile and a quick check on Google shows me they recently embarked on their first European tour. So it looks like they could be on the up. If the band's popularity in Santiago is anything to go by, then it looks good. For not only is it a good band, it is also a cool band. And obviously that's very important in the music biz. Anyway, I've added a few youtube videos and the myspace if you're interested in checking them out some more.

http://www.myspace.com/grupomissgarrison

Chile Blunts - Why I love The Ganjas

The deepest insight I´ve ever come across was from the great Frank Zappa when he said 'talking about music is like dancing about architecture'. Having written regularly about music, and found it difficult to convey sounds into words, I totally get his point. In spite of that, I have also learnt a lot about new musicians through the writings of others and hope that I can do the same here. It also helps a lot being able to attach links to Youtube, something that only came into being a long time after good old Frank left us.

Imagine a blend of Black Sabbath, Soundgarden and The Stone Roses with King Tubby on the mixing desk and you´ll have a fair idea of the sound of The Ganjas. Relative veterans of the Santiago scene after ten years of jamming together in which they´ve released five albums, this is an exceptional psychedelic garage rock band whose music is fused with blues, indy and reggae. Fuzzy guitars grind over rolling bass rhythms as they switch effortlessly from seedy rock´n´roll to heavy dub grooves and back again. Through in some great tunes (Frio Ni Calor, Let´s Go To The Beach and Sonic Redemption to name just three) and you have what for me is the finest modern rock band in Santiago.

The Ganjas have been regulars on the city´s underground scene since their first gig in 2001 and have had a relative degree of success in that time, with MTV airplay and gigs in the US, Brazil, Colombia and at 2011´s Lollopalooza in Chile. Yet the band has refused to compromise itself for further commercial appeal and is most at home in the charged atmosphere of smaller, more intimate venues (as is the case for any garage band worth its salt). 

There are a lot of other good rock bands in Santiago but for me what sets The Ganjas apart is their absolute certainty in their sound and their incorporation of dub, whose rhythms offer a deep foundation for stoner rock. When done well the two styles combine perfectly, as both are heavy, bass-driven styles designed to be played at high volume (preferably in a residential area). The psychedelic swirls and effects cap it off with a flourish. If that kind of thing floats your boat you´ll love these guys.

Let the good times roll

We went last night to the tenth anniversary gig of Banda Conmoción, easily one of the best Chilean bands around. It was absolutely massive, in the vast Industria Cultural in calle Cueto, by far the biggest venue I´ve been to out here in Chile and it was rammed with buena onda and celebration. There was a lot of publicity for the gig and it seemed like the whole of Santiago had turned up. We were way back from the stage but could still barely move for people dancing all around. It´s impossible not to dance with these guys.

Banda Conmoción is a cumbia orchestra, with heavy influences of Balkan gitano music, similar to Emir Kustarrica and The No Smoking Orchestra. This was the fourth time I´ve seen them and very different from the previous gigs. The last time I saw them was just before Christmas in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, a big enough place but nothing like the Industria Cultural. To be honest I prefer the smaller venues as they give you more intimacy with the musicians and generally you get a better sound. Last night we were so far back we could barely see the band and a bit of the sound got lost covering the distance over the heads of thousands of people. But it was a pretty sensational vibe, and after ten years of wicked music you can´t begrudge them doing a massive gig for everyone. I guess as well that this was their big money-making event and that the next time they`ll be decked out with shiny new instruments. 

Here`s the band website: http://www.bandaconmocion.cl/

And here`s a couple of videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj3N3I4jYEo (I love this tune)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYzSUHT7T7Q

Great stuff as you can see.

Que salgan los dragones

One of the most talented members of the new wave of Chilean folk that is growing increasingly popular on the alternative scene is Chinoy, a singer-songwriter from San Antonio, near Valparaiso. His success is well-merited and there are many things which set Chinoy apart from other musicians. There´s the incredibly distinctive voice, high-pitched and raw, and the songs that are charged with emotion and passion. He plays acoustic folk songs with the energy of punk, and sings of the land, the sea and social inequality. Chinoy´s popularity lies in his ability to channel themes that all can relate to into a sound that manages to be both frenetic and harmonious.

But this is in reference to his playing solo and acoustic. I went down to the Galpon Victor Jara in Barrio Brasil the other night to Chinoy´s gig, which this time saw the man playing with band, something I hadn´t checked out before. I saw Chinoy for the first time in in La Trova in Valparaiso last year, where his echo-in-a-chasm voice and songs created an electric atmosphere. There was a haunting beauty to the music that mesmerised the venue and nobody spoke over his performance. But the Galpon was a different vibe, with Chinoy turning out as part of a punk three-piece. Yet in spite of the heavy rhythms of his bandmates, Chinoy´s role remains more or less identical to when he jams solo. He plays the same songs and fuses them with the same energy. The fact that he is playing in a group seems to bear little relevance to him and he maintains his individual aura, standing isolated on the far side of the stage from drummer and bass player, never letting up between songs, almost as if to let up would be to lose the fire of his music. He only addresses the crowd at the beginning and end of the set. Chinoy is in his element, in his world, performing and he rides his own wave each time.

But for me, there was something lost in the transition from acoustic to punk. For a start the sound quality wasn´t the best and Chinoy´s voice seemed less-suited to this heavier sound, resulting in a great deal of the intimacy that envelops his music being lost. Lots of people were more involved in conversation with friends as Chinoy played, which never happened when I saw him in Valpo, and it was telling that only later in the set, when Chinoy reverted solo, that the crowd became truly animated and involved. Maybe it was because Chinoy saved his best songs for last but it was only once he started playing solo that the crowd sang along. He departed the stage to raucous cheers and it had been a good gig, but really I felt that the band does him a disservice. Although, if I were in his shoes, I´m sure I´d want to let rip on a heavier vibe at times.

Following on from Chinoy was La Chilombiana, an absolutely fantastic twelve or thirteen piece afro-cumbia extravaganza who really set the place alight with heavy rhythms and a pulsating latin spirit. Their influences range from afrobeat to metal, but of course the true ethos of the band is pure unabated cumbia. These guys, who I´d never seen before, were sensational and the next time they´re playing I´ll be there for sure.