What does Barrio Lindo sound like?

Global folktronica that creates new melting pots of sonic fusions.

The review of ‘ecdysis Vol 1’ by Barrio Lindo

Agustin Rivaldo is a man of many talents. He is a co-funder of the superb Shika Shika Collective, a composer, a producer, and a culture fiend. On his latest release, ‘ecdysus Vol 1’ is doing exactly what the title suggests; shedding his skin. After his 2022 release ‘Espurna de Mar’ focused on acoustic sounds, this release is about the organic electronic side of his music.

‘Chatoyancy’ opens the EP, demonstrating how the organic and the electronic collide. From the haunty, buoyant dancey beats and zipline synths, we have moments of playful delight that skip around the speakers. Then, in other segments, Andean guitar unfurls arpeggios at a furious pace. The switches are bold and defiant, as if two competing wonders are battling for your attention. ‘Batikh’ is all about the Dabke groove. Gurling, swirling synths bubble underneath a mix of electronic and hand percussion beats before switching to Arabic scale explosions of fanfare and delight. I’m reminded of a more organic-infused version of Zenobia.

The melting pot of cultures continues with ‘Los ojos en el Camino’. Roughly translating to ‘eyes of the road’, it is a dusty mixture of dancefloor synth elements and global beats. The piece is more atonal, focusing on a revving, rising synth, and the distant throws a party you can’t seem to arrive at. Bringing in Argentinian poet Nicolás Domínguez Bedini switches things up again for ‘Los Pájaros’. This mixture of South American marching band, with all kinds of half-jangled string instruments, could be from anywhere and everywhere. Bedini’s expressive spoken word takes over in the second half, backed by low flutes and a cascade of drums. It is a track that hollows itself out to evoke a sense of emptiness despite marching full steam ahead.

Barrio Lindo loves a shifting, filtering bass line. They appear across the EP, but none more centrally than in ‘NTF’. This track channels an abrasive trip-hop beat and lets the bass line do all the work. Funky and ever-shapeshifting, this is the most straight-to-dancefloor Barrio Lindo gets. Japanese singer Hou guests in the finale ‘Higashi’. The extended-length track dedicates its opening two minutes to setting an ethereal scene with cloudy synths, floating vocals, and seed and shell pods as jangly percussion. Slowly, a trip-hop beat, backed by shuffling South American hand percussion and traditional instruments, is added. It’s the ballad of the EP, but it is a merger of cultural ideas, too.

By shedding his exoskeleton and examining his roots, and where he likes to visit, Barrio Lindo has created a melting pot of ideas. The mixture of South American, Arabic, Dabke, Caribbean, and Japanese sounds and cultures creates a potent potion that invites the listener to experience them all in new, altered ways. The mergers work well, and this is an album that’s perfect for a mid-tempo mind-wander. Long may the melting pot continue.

Recommended track: Chatoyancy

Support Higher Plain Music

Higher Plain Music is part of the Higher Plain Network – a one-man indie media project. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. In return, you’ll receive additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and free downloads. You can also donate using PayPal. Sharing the website helps too or using the affiliate buy now links on reviews. I receive a few pence per Amazon sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. I’d love to make this a full-time media network and your support can make that happen. Thank you.