Jack and the Jerk’s Latin house track “Guataqui” takes its title from the name of a town in central Colombia.
The song features vocals by tambora musician Martina Camargo. Did you know? Tambora is an old-school, percussion-driven relative of the more famous cumbia genre. Camargo is a folk music star in her native Colombia.
The original version of “Guataqui” appears first on her release “Canto, Palo Y Cuero”. This album was named one the top 10 albums of the year 2009 by Semana magazine. But is less well-known outside South America. This track might change that.
Tambora And House
In many ways, tambora and house are a perfect match: both genres are focused on the drums, the chant-like tambora refrains lend themselves well to repetition over the length of a house track.
And the polyrhythmic tambora rhythms add variation to the house beat as they writhe around the 4/4 kick and snare.
On their original mix of the track, Jack and the Jerk cut up the “Guataqui” chorus into infectious stutters, then wash it through layers of echo as the pounding four-to-floor beat kicks in underneath the tambora drums.
Reach for the lasers moments
For his Bad Boy remix of “Guataqui,” Italian producer Dario D’Attis keeps Camargo’s vocals, but strips away most of the tambora percussion from the track. Although it pops back up during the breakdowns. Making this mix more of a peak-time club track than a laid-back summer groover.
D’Attis’ driving remix adds a bouncing electro-house-influenced bassline to the straight-on four-to-the-floor beat, then mixes in persistent, stabby chords before topping off the peak of the track with some sparkling synth lines.
Foregoing epic build-ups and reach-for-the-lasers moments in favour of propulsive rhythms and bassline momentum, this tougher, more synthy version of “Guataqui” is perfect for big, dark rooms, and brings an extra shot of energy to the dancefloor.
“Guataqui” first came out on Purple Music’s label sampler from the 2012 Miami Winter Music Conference. The full release, which includes both Jack and the Jerk’s original version and Dario D’Attis’ remix, is out on sub-label Purple Tracks.
Watch Purple Music for more innovate house music from Jack and the Jerk a.k.a. Swiss producer/DJs Jonas Belardinelli and Vincenzo Busceti.
As they told the label, they have an ongoing “plan … to visit other continents and work with musicians from other cultures so [they] can learn more about music.”
Jack & The Jerk ft. Martina Camargo – Guataqui (Dario D’Attis Bad Boy Remix)
Label: Purple Tracks
Released: May 11, 2012
Catalog-/Label-No: PT080