A while back, Paris-based Cuarto Mundo was found via Instagram by the Music is Prana (MIP) “origination team”. It soon made its way into the editorial war room of our Europe office where it was deemed a precious gem. One of magical properties. But wait, MIP is not an international media conglomerate. Nor do we have a team of scouts tasked with finding the best and the finest. In this instance, this precious gem found us, somehow…
Hey there folks, now that the world has gradually gone back to “normal” after the Covid craze, and we embark on a bumpy road ahead where inflation has taken the form of a Macy’s parade float, I get to narrate the connection between this music blog and the set of songs released -or rather summoned- by Cuarto Mundo.
As a songwriter and massive music fan I’m always on the prowl for the latest, searching playlists, and embarking on conversations with revered music gurus for their insights on what the music universe has to offer.
In the case of Cuarto Mundo, the universe conspired and they made their way into my IG feed about a year ago. Time went by, and the free will restrictions imposed by “inverted totalitarianism” prevented me from ever writing a review. Nevertheless, now that I’ve faced the greedy capitalist beast, I get to stand for universal consciousness and its gift to us: the Cuarto Mundo singles.
As a a man of “wealth and taste” -*spiritual wealth-, I bestow upon you the messages of this musical séance.
Sirocco
It evokes Peru ‘s Denge Denge Denge and Los Mirlos Amazonian rhythms and enticing B3 respectively. This song could easily be featured in the soundtrack of a Wes Anderson film. I mean, although sonically in a different frequency, “Sirocco” is reminiscent of the Royal Tenenbaums array of characters purposely diverting into their own paths, yet their stories eventually intertwine to such a degree that it leaves the audience astounded and begging for more, asking themselves: “Will there be a sequel to this film?”. In “Sirocco”, the instruments -as the film’s characters- fight ferociously to assert their own identity, only to come together bonded by the overall mantra of the song. I personally ask, will there be a sequel to this song? Let’s hope so!!
La Psycho Cumbia del Tarot
This song is a shamanic “remix” of “La Cumbia del Tarot”. I write shamanic as this rendition of the song casts a spell on the listeners. A carefully curated potion of Andean beats, timbales, and a delayed synth, all acting in syncopation to invite the listener to move forward through the “party of life” -Richard Aschroft reference-…yes, I got “music is prana” from “music is power” by our prophet Richard. Thanks to this sacred digital potion, my senses entered a new dimension, where my ego was killed by the phrase “el tarot te enseñará a crear tu alma” (literally, “the tarot will create your soul), feeling compelled to transcend into pure awareness as well as ecstatic freedom. The healing experience was worth the trip.
Sabi Lulu
Music jewelry box “Sabi Lulu” is soon to be sampled by Timbaland, as it is an endless source for adornments for any production. Building on a vibraphone riff (*the band will have to confirm this is the instrument they are using in an interview), there are hints of Air’s seminal “Talkie Walkie” and the drum sounds of Thom Yorke’s “The Eraser”. The song reaches its climax in the coda where the synths exude happiness and joy, a friendly farewell to the audience and a nod to a future reunion.
Led by Thomas Lavernhe and Cosmo Gonik, Cuarto Mundo exists free of time and space, channeling those pure spirits who seek to protect us from the vain and evil. Are you looking forward to their new release? I am!