Onto the Dancefloors: the new face of the Alt side
Contrarily to investments and incetive policies, the carioca electronic underground scene shows its new face with curious projects. The time is to party, and hard!
With all eyes set on Rio de Janeiro, that more and more is distant from its wonders to be international, the hears of the musical scenery could not be hearing that well, even more if the subject is electronic music.
However the new "face" of the city seems to reflect positively on the dancefloors, that in the resistance of the night, can still surprise and please all lovers of quality music. Which means, beyond the obvious maturation, the more underground carioca can guarantee its space, something that not long ago, didn't exist: a interested audience (in music).
It would be simple to point out the defects, trace comparisons and even admitting that you've been in better places, however for those who are attending and following the carioca underworld is not hard to admit that there was a considerable evolution in the scene. For those who don't agree with this statement stay smart because the crowd comes strong and with consistency showing its face and a lot of other curious projects. The fact is that, the Alt side of electronic music evolved and consolidated into original parties, productions and Djs, that burden the structure necessary to elevate floors to different dimensions.
“The maturation is gradual, having in sight that the city is preparing to receive the World cup and the Olympics. It´s natural that there is more investments in different cultural niches. Big music festivals already started to happen, bringing more visibility and profit. In comparison with other states, the carioca scene still lacks in investment to have a constant quality schedule" points out DJ and producer Krishna Gomes, son of Baby (Brasil) and Pepeu Gomes, who signs the label 11Hz Recordings and the music project Freakslum, with Cícero Chaves, and nowadays with the collective Brazilian Wax (next to DJ Pedro Piu, Marcio Ribeiro and Felipe Benoliel, from Rio Neurotic Bass).
Instead of thinking in celebrating the hexa or wait for a golden medal at the olympics, a select group of carioca artists, stand out, for its dedication and seriousness of the projects they present. In these last years, they raised the pirate flag and made the electronic scene something more interesting. Be it alternative, undeground or even pop skulls, the floors of Rio de Janeiro have something unique, which inclusive can be beyond the music itself. But, no doubt, the evolution of the music, was the was the catalyst for those changes. An original and commited music that can be reckon within the international scene and might already get the attention of those who are far away.
Dubbed as “the resistance hero” in the only city Newspaper, Bernardo Campos, next to Pedro Mezzonatto, are some of the figures omnipresent in the night scene, either if it is at their monthly residence in Do Hauze party (at Dama de Ferro), or with the nucleo Molotov 21, another music label. Bernardo, also signs the project Toucan next to DJ Olliver Mach, who recently had the idea of reuniting "strenghts" to create a big party: Quadra, that united Molotov 21, Tropical Beats (label bellonging to the couple DJs Flow and Zeo), and La Folie (a colective guided by DJ Fernando Barbosa) and the House It (project of DJ Vicente Amadeo).
“The ripening time is natural and it would be no different with electronic music. The professionalism was something needed to be where the scene is today, " points out Ricardo Estrella, another “omnipresent” DJ and producer from Rio de Janeiro, who initiated its walk in 1998 . “The scenario is still not ideal, but we work hard to achieve this. It motivates me the fact that we are improving every day, not only in the amount of music produced but also performance at parties”, completes Estrella, who gives us some hints on its next bet: the Rockerr, his project with producer Kriptus “Nytron” Gomes, the Tea Lyrics, patnership of the couple Flow & Zeo again with Kriptus. In fact the producer , brother of Krishna Gomes, presents other curious projects: Born To Be, anext to DJ Vivi Seixas (daughter of the singer Raul Seixas), and another with DJ Nana Torres, another revelation of the carioca night scene.
For someone who started way back in 1992 - at Kitschnet club, one of the first carioca clubs with electronic music and underground-, the DJ of DJs, Sir Mauricio Lopes, followed very closely all possible changes and has still not lost his breath. On the contrary, looks with excitement into the future. “It´s a fact that public interest for electronic music is bigger and bigger, howerer the investment in quality events is still low" states. In the beginning of the year, after the renewal of Fosfobox from Cabbet Araujo, Mauricio reedited the monthly party Fosfolopes, who had performed alongside with Renato Lopes. Now, the party returned to present a household name (like Anderson Noise, Luiz Pareto and Murphy) every month in the most beloved "basement" in the city.
Until the end of 2011, a lot of parties and attractions promise to enthusiasm the cariocas. Responsible for that, are the colective La Folie, who just celebrated two years of existence in October. "Our 2 year anniversary party will only be in the beggining of December. But the kick out was already started at Bootleg (who also includes João Paulo, Marcio Careca e Jonas Rocha) invited La Folie along with the duo Glocal. In November, we will pass again by Fosfobox with Oliver Klein at Boogie Woogie party (DJ Ricardo Estrella)”, says Fernando Barbosa, one the six members involved in the colective. Despite, not considering himself as a “DJ”, Fernando talso signs the project RockPhonne,whose main focus is to reconquer music and forgotten styles.
In the last weekend of October, friday (28), the first edition of the project Finest (an initiative that involved D.Edge Agency, Tropical Beats,11Hz Records and the party Rio Cabana) also proves that the underground music scenery is not restricted to "Hell". This new party had the presence of the German Dj ´Johnny D its debut, and it will take place at the famous and shining Café del Mar, located at the seaside of Copacabana, DJs Bruno Matera, Ricardo Estrella, Nana Torres, Pedro Piu and Marcelo Jesse, will be the hosts of the night, with no need for extra comments.
In another future fusion the nucleos Molotov21, Tropical Beats, Bootleg and La Folie, the circuit “underground” will consolidate a new moment for another great party: Blend, who will present no less than the “top” Jamie Jones, one of the best house DJs of todays time . The so awaited night takes place on 14th of November, in the traditional Cine Iris (in the Center). This year was a year of really hard work and sincerely we hope that in 2012 the work increases because the idea is to work even better, "concludes Fernando. So if the "underground" scene in Rio has a new "face", it must be with a huge smile, eagerly awaiting more news from these artists, among many others forgotten, that make the scene happen. And so be it, because this marvellous city, more than deserves, knows how to do it.......
