Random Circuits

Stimming - ”Una Pena” [Dynamic] (buy)

Stimming’s rhythmic summer sing a long has been tearing it up for a good few months now I’ve heard it played out at various venues but always thought it was a white label remix from Luciano or Villalobos I mean you only have to go on youtube to see how many unknown tracks they seem to drop which in my ears sound very familiar to Una Pena. It wasn’t until our fellow blogger & seasonal head at DC10 Craig Gordon got back from a stint on the White Isle that I learnt that ”Una Pena” was in fact down to part of Diynamic’s extended family. [Diynamic] being the on form German tech house label run by Solomun and Adriano Trolio. Yes i was quite surprised to hear that Martin Stimming was behind this Chilean folk re rework for the 21st century. I was expecting it to be from the Italoboyz or like i mentioned earlier only available on white or in most cases not at all. 

Even the most purists of dance music heads should find themselves whistling along to Chilean folklore-singer Violeta Parra’s beautiful singing. Stimming really did his homework by sampling Violeta Parra who coincidentally was part of a huge, extended and quite famous family within Chilean folklore culture. A family that ranged from folklore singers to guitarist’s & even a clown! in 1931. To this very day the Parra family is still going strong and is well into its fourth generation. However like most folklore tales its not all sunshine and singing tragically in 1967 Violeta would commit suicide at the tender age of 49. There is some real history behind this talented vocalist and her family in general which i for one find very interesting but I’ll crack on with the music now.

Stimming’s rework of “Una Pena” is like a breath of fresh air lovely warm summery rhythms work next to tight drums, loose percussion, wood blocks and timbres. He breaks down by introducing Violeta’s mesmerizing singing which comes in and literally takes over the track. whilst Violeta is singing the percussion steps up pace and the loose clip clop style percussion works off by itself for a while. It’s very warm and full of rhythm and has summer written all over it. It’s with out a shadow of a doubt that its Parra’s vocals that make the track. Stimming goes on by taking the percussion more intricate and introducing some cool synths thus making the drums really stand out & letting the track to take shape with everything working together like a well oiled machine. The layering is down to a T its tight and complexed, rhythmic and warm no wonder everyone from Jori Hulkkonen, Serafin, Lee Jones etc right through to the likes Ivan Smagghe and Hernan Cattaneo are championing this summer sing a long.

It doesn’t stop there either on the flip is a full on tech reworking of a reworking by Greek Berliner Argy. If I’m honest this really isn’t my cuppa tea but I’m sure a lot of you will like this and some will favor it over the original. Be sure to check out both versions as i reckon you will find something you like between the original and the Argy remix. Summer never sounded so good now all we need is the weather to match…

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