Conjunto Papa Upa - Vintage Voudou

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 17 / 12 / 2013

Label: Music With Soul
Format: 7"

Ingenious combination of psychedelic 1960's surf and African percussion on new single from Amsterdam-based but Latin American-sounding act, Conjunto Papa Upa

Review

The new single on Amsterdam's very small but excellent Music With Soul label goes cumbia and vallenato with flavours of psychedelic 1960's surf and African percussion. 'Vintage Voudou' could have come from a merry séance, and has chanting over its ingenious rhythms. A bit of a Latin-American oddball though, it has unmistakingly relaxed and melodic Portuguese diction on its music which typical of Spanish speaking Columbia and Venezuela, despite being recorded in Amsterdam of all places. The flipside has a 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' Western movie twang to begin with, before the riffs from the farfisa organ develop a mating ritual dance with the bongos. Great exotic fun of B-Movie appeal. This what you should give to your jukebox this Christmas.