It’s Latin Heritage Month, an annual celebration of the cultures and contributions of Latin American and Hispanic communities. Here at Crack Magazine, we’re adopting the term ‘Latin’ to also celebrate the contributions of Brazilian, indigenous, and other non-Spanish speaking communities. We’ll be commemorating the occasion with a series of mixes spotlighting regional styles and music traditions past and present, presented by a selection of contemporary artists.
Connecting with us from Lima, Peru’s sprawling capital city, is Daniel Valle-Riestra. Better known as QOQEQA or Animal Chuki – a former nu-cumbia production project helmed alongside Andrea Campos – Valle-Riestra is among a vital throng of electronic producers making waves in South America.
Last year, he established himself as a solo artist to watch with the release of his 2021 debut album AxuxA, which served as the inaugural record on Dengue Dengue Dengue’s Kebrada imprint. At the time, Valle-Riestra described the record as a “statement of rhythm” – the sort that pulls at a thread of Afro-Peruvian and Andean traditions and polyrhythms, ambient sounds and forward-facing electronic motifs. The result was really quite something.
Treating us to a hypnotic melange of tunes by the likes of Nick León, Siete Catorce and El Plvybxy, his Latin Heritage Month mix conjures visions of embarking on a thrilling Amazonian adventure. Expect fast-swinging drum patterns, low-hanging bass knocks and snarling synths – plus plenty of expert selections.
Latin Heritage Month: QOQEQA
Latin Heritage Month: QOQEQA
It’s Latin Heritage Month, an annual celebration of the cultures and contributions of Latin American and Hispanic communities. Here at Crack Magazine, we’re adopting the term ‘Latin’ to also celebrate the contributions of Brazilian, indigenous, and other non-Spanish speaking communities. We’ll be commemorating the occasion with a series of mixes spotlighting regional styles and music traditions past and present, presented by a selection of contemporary artists.
Connecting with us from Lima, Peru’s sprawling capital city, is Daniel Valle-Riestra. Better known as QOQEQA or Animal Chuki – a former nu-cumbia production project helmed alongside Andrea Campos – Valle-Riestra is among a vital throng of electronic producers making waves in South America.
Last year, he established himself as a solo artist to watch with the release of his 2021 debut album AxuxA, which served as the inaugural record on Dengue Dengue Dengue’s Kebrada imprint. At the time, Valle-Riestra described the record as a “statement of rhythm” – the sort that pulls at a thread of Afro-Peruvian and Andean traditions and polyrhythms, ambient sounds and forward-facing electronic motifs. The result was really quite something.
Treating us to a hypnotic melange of tunes by the likes of Nick León, Siete Catorce and El Plvybxy, his Latin Heritage Month mix conjures visions of embarking on a thrilling Amazonian adventure. Expect fast-swinging drum patterns, low-hanging bass knocks and snarling synths – plus plenty of expert selections.
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