Buy Link: https://wonderwheelrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/chinampa-ep
El Búho is Robin Perkins, an artist from Northern England with a heart deeply rooted in Latin America. His artist name, meaning owl, is also a bit of a hint as to the sounds he creates. El Búho’s first EP (A Guide To The Birds of South America, 2011) was made from samples of Latin American bird songs contributed by collaborators all over Latin America.- thus beginning what would become a rich musical trajectory, weaving together rhythms, mythologies, and melodies, of his adopted continent. The ethereal quality of El Búho’s music is likely owed to his frequent use of natural sounds (birds, waterfalls, leaves) among contemporary electronic beats. It’s been praised for its ability to welcome both stillness and wild dancefloor movement.
Perkins has released an impressive amount of music over the last six years and has collaborated with the likes of Luzmila Carpio, Lucas Santana, Chancha Via Circuito, Mercedes Nasta, Lagatijeando, Matanza, and Barrio Lindo. He’s currently based in Paris and co-runs a global artists collective called Shika Shika.
The ‘Chinampa‘ EP is dedicated to Mexico City, where Perkins lived for two years. It takes the chaos of the city’s unwieldy urban sprawl and calls attention to its history. ‘Salto De Agua‘, the first track on the EP, is now a bustling metro stop that marks the end of the ancient Chapultepec aqueduct, one of the series of canals that allowed the Aztecs to navigate the city. ‘Al Tianguis’ is a nod to the city’s renowned markets, a tradition that remains just as crucial to daily life as it was hundreds of years ago. ‘Pasale’ (meaning ‘go ahead’) is a word that echoes throughout the city, especially in the unstopping public transport system. The final track ‘Temporada de Lluvia’ was inspired by Mexico City’s iconic downpours that transform the city for a few hours. This, to Perkins, is the city ‘transforming back into its ancient watery past.’
‘Chinampa’ is a sweet blend of the chaos that comes from Mexico City’s sprawl, and the history that tranquilly hums beneath it- a nice reminder for anyone listening.
Release Date: August 11th, 2017
@wonderwheel-recordings
@el-buho
1.Salto De Agua
2.Pasale
3.Al Tianguis
4.Temporada de Lluvias
