Platanito / Guacuco

27/01/2020Music With Soul Records Founder Alex Figueira Releases First Work Under Own Name
 

Released in August 2019 in a limited edition of 250, Music With Soul Records' founder Alex Figueira's scorching 7" sold out in a jiffy and recently received a repress. This may not come as a surprise to those who've meanwhile given the two tracks a spin and thus revealed their undeniable dancefloor potential. Never mind the genre, the people love it and so do we. 

Side A opens up with a driving, funktified bassline, vicious, snaking grooves and superb drum fills. You may find yourself wondering, what it is you are listening to, influences ranging from Latin to afrobeat, psychedelic to vintage breaks. "'Platanito' is an uncompromised crossover between classic 70’s Heavy Funk, Ghanian / Nigerian Highlife, Angolan Semba and Venezuelan culinary traditions: the only lyrics on the song emphatically celebrating two of the most popular delicacies in the country: 'Platano Frito' (Fried Plantain) with 'Guasacaca' (a traditional green sauce made mostly out of avocados, pepper and celery)," the description reads.

Fair enough, we thought and flipped over to the B-side, only to fall captive to "Guacuco" or true steel drum madness. "'Guacuco' refers to a Venezuelan sea food delight, said to have extraordinary aphrodisiac properties and usually sold across the many coastal towns in the country. [...] This great instrumental incorporates a fairly healthy dose of African and Brazilian percussion, acoustic and heavily Wah’ed electric guitars, all elements meticulously colliding until the improbable grand finale, [...] reaching that gorgeous Caribbean beach you’ve been travelling to." Again, the description is on point, but you'll need to hear for yourselves.

"Platanito / Guacuco" is Alex Figueira's (prev. Fumaça Preta, Conjunto Papa Upa and more) first release under his own name and it's a doozy. No doubt the record's second run will be gone in no time, so be quick, but don't despair. You can always go for the digital release.

AUTHOR: Lev Nordstrom