Cumba Mela. — Photo courtesy of the artists.
A glistening coat of sweat dripped from everyone on the tightly packed dancefloor as they focused intently on Cumba Mela‘s set during the heat stroke-inducing Danger party this Saturday at 3rd Ward. Like the trio does at other Brooklyn underground parties, they played a selection of quick-paced “global bass” tracks, a blending of international folk sounds with Western club music. At these performances, the collective plays full songs, but also add new layers of drums, melodies, or vocals. The interaction between the three of them continues like that in a sort of live remix process. “These sets are a conversation between us as deejays and the audience and how they respond to us,” says 2melo.
Global bass is a broad-reaching genre, incorporating anything from reggae, cumbia, and bhangra to techno, hip hop, dubstep, and more. This challenging of boundaries is exactly the attraction for many. “A few years back, I had a hard time even explaining what it was that I played and listened to,” recalls Atropolis. “But the global bass movement allows so much freedom.”
“We as humans have a tendency to label things,” he continues. “And while that’s helpful, it has downsides. I don’t necessarily want to break things, but I do want to provide an opening to avoid labeling.”
The music is a reflection of globalization and the level of communication enabled by technology, says Thornato. “It’s what we see around us.” Their name is a play on Kumbh Mela, a Hindu gathering that attracts millions of people. And they try and make their events gatherings as well.
Usually there’s an element of ethnomusicology involved in global bass, and Cumba Mela is no exception. Atropolis actually has a minor in the field and is working on a documentary about the music of Buenos Aires.
The trio has roots in the New York underground scene. Atropolis and Thornato, who are cousins and have played music together for years, first met 2melo when they happened to play on the same night at a Danger pirate boat party. Their first performance together was at the Danger 2009 New Years Eve party. And 2melo lived at the Astoria-based Wonderland.
The collective hopes to take the process of exploring and mixing traditional forms of music farther than they already do. The next step is to bring in live vocalists and musicians from various regions and styles. They will then record samples of their efforts during the performance and reinterpret it on the spot.
Involving the audience is also a feature of this participatory effort. During their most recent show at Williamsburg’s Bembe, they handed out a number of instruments for the crowd to play along with. There was a guira, berimbau, djembe, dumbek, agogo, marrocas and even a cowbell.
The Bembe party is a weekly event held on Mondays. There’s no rave element at this party, and that allows them to explore different tempos and play more of the music they appreciate. Their most progressive effort yet, where they will combine this freedom of selection with live collaborators while all three perform together, will occur later this month at the Desiderata Festival. The event takes place during the last week of June and is located in the Catskill Mountains. You can also listen to their remixes on the Cumba Mela SoundCloud page.
Aqui Princesa — Marcelo Fabian Remix (Atropolis Edit)
