*Originally written by Christian Cortes (SoundScrybe) as part of our former affiliation with Reality Sandwich/EvolverEDM (September 2019)
Buy link, Vol I: https://fanlink.to/Porangui_Remixes_VolI
Buy link, Vol II: https://porangui.bandcamp.com/album/porangu-remixes-vol-ii
Poranguí, a man who increasingly requires no introduction in the world of musical storytellers and dance floor conjurers, has become a fixture of the global downtempo scene in recent years through a visionary art form that is equal parts performance, celebration, and journey. A twenty-year veteran of music production who uses his instrumental quiver like a summoning stick to invoke the culture and spirit embedded within each instrument’s sound, the celebrated musician’s unique fusion of aboriginal instrumentation, electronic live-looping, and evocative vocal work is known for stirring up dance parties in clubs, festivals, conferences, and retreats across the globe. With nicknames like “world bridger” and the “one-man orchestra,” he is increasingly recognized as one of the consciousness movement’s most distinguished musical advocates through his use of music for healing, celebration, and activism, and 2019 is proving to be the biggest year of his career thus far.
Poranguí’s portfolio of work includes an original motion picture soundtrack (Ayahuasca), numerous collaborations, a live solo album released earlier this year (Poranguí), and an array of festival and workshop appearances all around the world. His music tends to take one of three forms: one, as studio recordings from his elaborate collection of aboriginal instruments woven into a greater tapestry of sound by artists like Liquid Bloom and Shamans Dream; two, as live performances that draw upon the energy of the dance floor to transform his original songs into extended journeys and ecstatic dance sessions; and three, as high-definition recordings from some of these powerful live experiences.
Regardless of what shape his music takes, his music offers listeners an opportunity to tap into ancient lineages and the time-tested tribal ritual of dance and meditation through movement, making his latest creation—a two-part remix of his debut solo album, Poranguí—an especially potent collection.
The first installment, Porangui Remixes: Vol. 1, was released in July on Desert Trax and features an indulgent array of re-imaginings from the likes of Desert Dwellers, Liquid Bloom, Drumspyder, and numerous other established artists from the psychedelic bass and downtempo sphere. Bringing an often more synthetic and heavier edge to Poranguí’s organic soundscapes, these tracks play to the multi-genre dance floors of the electronic underground, featuring everything from hypnotic slow house and soothing downtempo to crunchy psychedelic halftime, pulsating psybass, and ecstatic tribal house.
One high-energy standout from the collection is Mandala Affect and dela Moon’s “Stardust” remix, which twists the ethereal vocals and dark ambiance of the source material into a gritty and atmospheric drum & bass journey laced with psychedelic rattles and bouncing instrumental loops. Tribone’s “Oxum” remix similarly reshapes the source material into something wild, transforming a song themed around the element of water into a fiery, pulsating beast that spotlights the vocal work of Poranguí’s partner, Ashley Klein, whose spoken words were similarly recorded live and woven into a modified collection of the original album: Poranguí: Guided Journey.
Porangui Remixes: Vol. 2 (Desert Trax) takes a turn back toward the organic by delving further into the slow house styling that has been transforming the world of downtempo music in recent years. Spotlighting the instrumental and vocal work of the source tracks, these songs are bolstered by a deep and repetitive four-on-the-floor beat that brings a soothing, mesmeric edge to Poranguí’s mystical music. Inclusions by Latin rhythm master El Búho, Moon Frog, Ancestral Elephants, Ryan Herr, and numerous other downtempo artists line the release with an uplifting tribal tone that places heavy emphasis on Poranguí’s elaborate instrumental loops with the added support of a warm house beat.
On the heels of their debut EP with Desert Trax, up-and-coming duo Jakare (Halfred and Lo.Renzo) tap into the essence of South American musical aesthetics in their remix of “Otorongo.” Both instrumentalists of their own, Halfred and Lo.Renzo are in many ways an ideal pairing for the album’s shamanistic soundscapes, using many of the instruments in Poranguí’s arsenal in their own productions to conjure the harmonious tone and atmospherics of tribal 4/4 music. Adding their own instrumental flavor to Poranguí’s already danceable source track in this stirring remix, Jakare creates an uplifting journey that will surely find a home in ecstatic dance settings and daytime dance floors for years to come.
Far more than mere tracks, the nineteen cumulative songs appearing on Poranguí Remixes showcase the endless dimensions of sound packed into each original composition as well as the flexibility of Poranguí’s instrumental and vocal samples to be bent, twisted, warped, and modulated into exotic shapes suited to a range of musical styles and intensities. It is no wonder that Poranguí finds solace in the concept of the “hollow bone” — an idea stemming from indigenous traditions in which one strives to be emptied of personal attachments and obstacles in order to become a conduit for the healing powers of art, expression, and Spirit. Acting less like a source of the music and more as a vessel for the stories embedded within each instrument and beyond to be expressed, Poranguí embodies the role of the world bridger, extracting sound from the world and presenting it to a colorful array of remixers to be transformed by their unique visions.
Whether one experiences this garden of sounds in the context of a live performance, DJ set, or private listening session at home, Poranguí Remixes offers its listeners an enchanting taste of the creative energy driving today’s transformative culture and spirit. Infused with an underlying message of hope and optimism, it is releases such as this — driven by pure intention, curated with the utmost care, and inspired by the essence of what it means to be human — that have the power to change not only the way we listen to and experience sound, but how we shape the future and build the world around us.
Poranguí’s remix journey does not stop here. With an entirely new collection of remixes soon to come from acoustic electronica label Resueño, as well as a dedicated album by medicinal beat maker Mose, Poranguí’s remix tale is just getting started.
Get Remixes Volume I: https://fanlink.to/Porangui_Remixes_VolI
Get Remixes Volume II: https://porangui.bandcamp.com/album/porangu-remixes-vol-ii
STAY IN TOUCH:
Website: https://www.porangui.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/porangui
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/porangui
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porangui/