Flamenco tablaos, rebujitos and the Giralda are, surely, some of the elements that come to mind if one thinks of Andalusian culture. But, what if we talk about Andalusian underground? How does that sound? Whoever wants to discover it has an appointment this Friday, May 15, at 8:30 p.m. at Paral·lel 62, in the Poble-sec neighborhood of Barcelona, with Andalusia Salvatge, a party that brings together the most alternative sounds of Andalusian culture.
Behind this initiative is the entity Oh Salvaje, the promoter of this party that has been touring towns and cities in Andalusia for years to reclaim the root and essence of Andalusian music with new formats and sounds. The show, since last year, makes a stop in Barcelona with the support of Say it Loud. “We want to show the Andalusian underground as a trend that draws from the old. It is based on our folklore, on flamenco, but also on new trends like breakbeat electronics,” says Edu Flores, one of the organizers, Andalusian and resident in Barcelona, who details that the objective of the gathering is to mix “the artists who have been a reference for our parents with the new ones.”
The party, moreover, arrives days after a new edition of the Feria de Abril at the Fòrum de Barcelona has closed. Are the two parties compatible? Do they share sounds? “We like classic flamenco, but also electric guitars. To say that María Terremoto is flamenco, no one will dispute it, but Rocío Márquez or Califato 3×4, who mix elements of Andalusian musical tradition with modern genres like rock, electronics, and punk, must also be able to join in,” Flores assesses, adding that in the south of Spain “what they do is still very alternative.”
Precisely, because of this alternative character, last year, when they celebrated the first edition in Barcelona, they doubted what kind of reception the party would have in Barcelona, but as they say, it was a success. “Catalans of Andalusian origin came, people who came expressly from Andalusia and, even, from London,” comments one of the organizers with surprise.
“We are the real underground”
The artists who will take the stage at Paral·lel 62 this Friday are Lole Montoya, artist of the so-called arte jondo and essential voice of new flamenco; Cervatana, a sound project that mixes electronics, popular imaginary and aesthetic experimentation, exploring new forms of folklore; Dj Karpin, key figure of the Andalusian breakbeat movement of the nineties; Restinga, considered one of the most unique emerging proposals of the new Andalusian electronic landscape that transitions between electronics and tradition and, Wara DJ (Alaha Records), an Andalusian project residing in Barcelona.
We have spoken with Fran Mora, the producer behind Wara DJ. Born in Seville, he has lived in Barcelona's Raval for twenty years and two years ago he founded Alhaja Records with his partner, Teresa Espadafor. The label, one of the key platforms in the new Andalusian experimental electronic scene, was born from the need to bring together Barcelona and Andalusian artists who make experimental flamenco or, as they usually say, 'futuristic flamenco', such as Cathy Claret or Emilio Carafé. In fact, Mora has just released the track Ingerable with his label and these two mentioned artists. The peculiarity of Alhaja Records is that the tracks are recorded with the vinyl machine live, in the concert hall, and then they sell them on Bandcamp. “We are an atypical label, we are the real underground, because until now we recorded the albums and made copies. Now we are starting to have Bandcamp,” comments Mora.
Making a general assessment of Andalusia Salvatge, the producer from Raval comments that it is “necessary” to get to know a piece of the underground Andalusia that lives in Barcelona: “There are some who will only come to see Lole Montoya, the best known and, if they don't know the others, they will have an idea of what the culture of Andalusia is currently.”
Tickets for Andalusia Salvatge can be bought here.
