Comunite Festival Saves The Environment And Books Good Music
Music festivals are fun, but they leave a huge mess. Major gatherings like Bonnaroo and Lightning In A Bottle have taken steps to reduce their impact on climate change, which testifies to a growing concern about environmental sustainability among promoters. In Tulum, Mexico, a small group of local producers and DJs have organized a one-day event on January 13 to promote environmental responsibility and other social issues. Comunite has mined Latin America’s deep well of musical talent (which we have explored in guides to Mexico City, Tijuana and Argentina) and aims to raise awareness of climate change by hosting film screenings of documentaries to do with the destructive effects of factory farming, activist A/V installations and an entirely vegan menu. Below, organizer Juan Manuel Del Valle has identified 10 acts he’s excited to see get behind the decks, not including the heretofore unannounced headliner Traumprinz.
Matanza and Acid Pauli @ Stage 2, 13:00
“We booked the Santiago-based Matanza collective to open the festival because it revolutionizes the way the world looks at Chile and Latin America, which is exactly what we intend to do with Comunite. As part of our daytime program, we want to showcase this new wave of Latin American producers in the context of sun and musical appreciation. We found out about Matanza when they teamed up with Tulum regular Acid Pauli for a medley of percussive and regional flute-based tracks—jungle and beach friendly indeed.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Nicola Cruz @ Stage 2, 15:00
“Nicola Cruz, one of Ecuador’s front-runners, has always impressed us. His music features Spanish vocals and guitars layered over piercing kick drums, resembling the Latin American/European mix concept we’re trying to promote with Comunite. Nicola’s downtempo narratives are ideally suited to his daytime slot and fit perfectly into the festival’s multinational narrative.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Baby Vulture @ Stage 1, 14:00
“Daniela Huerta, AKA Baby Vulture, is one of Mexico’s 2016 electronic-music frontrunners. She is absolutely brilliant. We invited her to play an hour-long set during the day to offer attendees an alternative to dance-oriented music.”
https://soundcloud.com/comunite/comunite-02-baby-vulture
Kettenkarussell @ Stage 1, 18:00
“Giegling affiliates Kettenkarussel have been doing amazing things for a while now. Early in 2015, these two played a very memorable set at one of our house parties. They adapted to Tulum’s context quickly, and it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. That’s why we decided to slot them into sunset hours: their combination of mysticism and tape-styled dub delays bathed in mellow dynamics fit perfectly into the Mayan jungle.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Dasha Redkina @ Stage 1, 22:00
“Dasha Redkina is one of the most respected forces in Russia’s underground electronic music scene. This dynamic DJ experiments with sounds that have no geographic inhibitions, which jives with Comunite’s objective to showcase artists who break cultural barriers to achieve greatness. When we saw Redkina play at the Outline festival in Russia right before Ricardo Villalobos, it was clear that she’s the perfect candidate for the early night shift, as she provides an energetic medley of house and techno to welcome the uptempo dance marathon ahead.”
Edward @ Stage 1, 20:00
“Giegling’s Edward is one of our weapons of choice. We’ve been wanting to book him for a Tulum show for a while now, since his analog-driven aesthetics have made him a critical figure among music fans in Mexico. His music is energetic, yet elegant and subtle—perfect for an afternoon of finely-crafted electronica.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBBAUIAaZM8
Lawrence @ Stage 2, 02:00
“Lawrence is one of the men behind the acclaimed Smallville and Dial labels. He completely revolutionized the way we see modern house music, and we’ve been loyal followers of his music since the very beginning. His alternative approach to making dance music makes him a perfect candidate for the pre-midnight schedule to lure latecomers into a marathon of experimental synthwork and piercing drum debauchery.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Andrés @ Stage 2, 16:00
“Andrés (AKA DJ DEZ) constantly mixes the aesthetics of his Cuban roots with his Detroit sound, which reflects our mission to dig into our respective cultural heritages. Andrés will be in charge of the midnight shift, providing smooth house to ease us into the late-night narrative.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Moodymann @ Stage 2, 18:00
“Moodymann. Where to start? This living legend has been a role model for how music should be conceived on the floor worldwide. He reminds us how dance floor fillers can have the weirdest emotional content and how we should always stay true to ourselves, no matter the context—something Comunite will always support. The man of the hour will present two hours of Detroit-infused aural gems right after Andrés to achieve peak-time dance hypnosis.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Rhadoo @ Stage 1, 04:00
“Comunite’s second stage will showcase the experimental approach of Rhadoo, an [a:rpia:r] frontman. He is a perfect example of how hypnotism plays a huge role in music’s capacity to achieve alternated states of mind without any kind of drug. We support the idea that music can be stronger than any substance. Romania in Tulum—we’re really looking forward to that.”
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Published January 12, 2016.