Electronica in Centro America

Electronica in Centro America

20 January, 2012 | 3.47PM

• Written by: casta69
• Filed under: Music News : central america, cuberec, guatemala

Central America is often dwarfed by Mexico or mistaken for an extension of South America.  However, this distinct region is in fact an isthmus formed by Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.  Central America is frequently associated with its Mayan heritage, Caribbean coastline, and the political upheaval of the past several decades, yet in truth the region has much more to offer.  Its spectacular mountains, small islands, and warm local people have welcomed DJs from around the globe.  As the mid-1990s saw the end of repressive regimes in several Central American nations, youth culture has experienced a renewed interest in creative expression, setting the stage for the rise of electronic music. This often overlooked region has thus become home to a thriving electronic music scene.

Although the scene actually started over a decade ago with small underground raves and private parties, the world of electronic music has diversified immeasurably: not only have venues expanded from exclusive events to include bars and festivals, but the audience has grown from an elite few to a passionate and widespread public.  In this sense, despite its marginal beginnings, electronic music has slowly yet undeniably evolved to become a popular genre. 
Promoters like Musica 502, Cube, Empire Promotions, Modular, Colors and Istmo Music among others set the wave in motion, a particularly impressive feat given a regional context not always conducive to musical experimentation. If pop, rock, salsa, and merengue once constituted the core of the party scene, música electrónica appealed to music lovers seeking an alternative social space.  While the scene first took hold in Costa Rica, it soon gained popularity in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.  This proved that electronic music had found fertile ground in Central America against all the odds.

Costa Rica took the lead in the late 1990s. The success was marked by the arrival of Sasha, Digweed, Nick Warren and all the Proggy gods around the year 2000.  The rise of the scene in Costa Rica can be partially attributed to the nation’s thriving tourism industry with its influx of backpackers and beachgoers, many of them already familiar with electronic music.  However, drug busts and promoter rivalry thwarted the growth of what could have been the Mecca of the Central American electronic music scene.  The opening of Vertigo mid-decade established a clubbing scene to fill the void left by the disappeared party promoters. Many of the DJs who had previously played in the early years of this scene returned, among them Hernán Cattaneo. Following a tumultuous period, the Costa Rican scene is currently undergoing a true rebirth, evidenced by the work of local producers like Kabuto & Koji. Local favorites Erick Prestinary, Sotela and Esteban Howell are still shaking the airwaves in San Jose, but have yet to expand much beyond the region.  Let`s hope Vertigo or its successors have better luck and can bring Costa Rica back from the ashes.
After Costa Rica came Guatemala.  In the late 1990s the Guatemalan scene was limited to small events that took place in farms, industrial warehouses and underground locations.  This eventually led to a clubbing culture that saw the rise of Techno DJs throughout the country. Promoters like Musica 502 paved the road; Selekto gave us a glimpse of Minimal with Marc Houle, Marco Carola, Kiki and Techno Kings Paco Osuna, Christian Smith and Richie Hawtin too made appearances.  Cube promoted diversity, with acts such as Los Amigos Invisibles and DJs like Lee Burridge, James Holden and Satoshi Tomiie. This also led to the opening of new spaces, such as The Box, a small 60 person bar that has welcomed new talent as well as local favorites like Mickey Franco, Alex Hentze and JR Gonzo among others.  Local names like Francis Davila and Casta have taken their music beyond Guatemala, and are gaining notice in the international scene. 
Once an alternative form of expression, electronic music’s rise in Central America has brought it to the mainstream, an inevitable effect of its growing popularity. Unfortunately, its commercialization has limited its initially experimental nature.  In the case of Guatemala, however, the recovery of the colonial part of the capital has brought fresh air to a stagnant scene.  Zona 1, a formerly rundown area is experiencing a rebirth, seen in such examples as El Gran Hotel and Las 100 Puertas.  While many types of music venues are found in Zona 1, the revival of the area has created new spaces for electronic music in particular. 

Both the Guatemalan and Costa Rican electronic music scenes share similar grassroots beginnings.  By contrast, the scene in El Salvador was developed several years after its Guatemalan neighbors’, and has followed a more top-down pattern, with promoters mostly replicating international commercial trends. Although initially enthusiastic, El Salvador’s scene centered around mainstream parties, and has increasingly lost steam.  Recent years have seen only Trance acts with big names that have brought about no real growth or experimentation. Ministry of Sound Parties organized by local promoters focused only on popular international icons that gave little back to the local scene.  Apart from Paco Osuna and Soul Clap, few underground DJs have really shaken the airwaves of this country in the last 3 years.  However, upcoming local talent is reviving the electronic music culture, with DJs including Castillo, Alejandro Cienfuegos, RevNoise and Handall, who have multiple releases on labels such as Italo Business, Next Dimension, Leichtklang, CubeRec and Itzamna.

Within Central America, Nicaragua and Belize could be said to have fallen behind in the world of electronic music, not having shown any true signs of life in the last years.  There is little indication of the direction these countries will take.  The rave scene seems very distant to a crowd that hasn’t had an international DJ on their soil in more than 5 years.  Similarly, while Panama once boasted a steady scene led by Tom Sawyer, the parties never received regional acclaim like those in Guatemala and Costa Rica.  The scene there remains quite insular in spite of visits by International DJs.
It is Honduras that is currently surpassing all expectations. Annually hosting the widely acclaimed music festival SunJam, their music scene has grown more impressively in the last 4 years than that of any other country in the region, if not in all of Latin America.  Their leaders are Balto and Luis Maier, their weapon of choice: Techno.  With steady 500 – 600 person parties and after-parties, this year alone they have hosted names like Camea, Alexi Delano, Xpansul, Tony Rohr, Par Grindvik and Joseph Cappriatti.  Impressively, Honduras is the only place to currently host parties in several towns outside the capital. 

SUNJAM
SunJam sets Honduras apart from the rest of the region. An entire article could be written on this event alone. In 1997, a small private party was held on a paradisiacal island off the country’s Caribbean coast: a group of young Hondurans, who had lived in Europe for several years, returned home with fresh knowledge of electronic music. This event would eventually become SunJam, as we know it today. The festival is set on an idyllic private key off the coast of Honduras, ten minutes from Utila Island in the Caribbean, known for its scuba diving and tranquil waters. This location exposed the event to international travelers.  2011 will see its 15th year, this “small” festival having grown from 80 people to more than 1500.  DJs like Xpansul, Alexi Delano, and Joseph Cappriatti have fallen in love with the place and concept.  SunJam consistently hosts the very best of Central America with notable international appearances.
The event starts around 2 in the afternoon, with boats arriving on the island until 7 at night. The crème de la crème of Central American DJs and producers arrive for launch parties in local bars with awe-inspiring sets lasting 3-4 hours.  Surrounded by crystal clear water, palm trees and sand, this deserted key provides a haven for music lovers from around the world.  In spite of its popularity, SunJam’s limited size ensures it will never lose its vibe and magic.

A New Era
Recent times have not been in the best favor for everyone. Although the Central American scene appears to be growing, in many ways it is in fact seeing a rebirth.  Today we see a new generation excited about the movement, although the electronic music ‘scene’ might be taking precedence over the electronic music itself.  The lack of clubs in the area further proves that the region still looms far behind South America, but with increasing support from promoters and local artists there is hope for a growing scene in the future.
In only a decade we have seen the rise and fall of different movements of electronic music throughout Central America with clubs like Costa Rica’s Vertigo—once described by Hernán Cattaneo as his favorite place in the world to play—or D`embossa in Guatemala, a successful spot which hosted artists like Xpansul, John Selway, Satoshi Tomiie, Deadmau5 and Sander Kleinenberg.  Notable festivals like “Rave del Castillo”, held in an abandoned castle on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and SunJam in Honduras pave the road for a bright future in electronic music culture.

Guatemala, 20 Oct. 2010

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