Placa Placa – ‘Placa Placa’ Review

What does Placa Placa sound like?

Marimba and Balafón delights.

The review of ‘Placa Placa’ by Placa Placa

I’ve recently discovered the bountiful music of percussionist and composer Gregorio Quiros. His main instrument of choice is the marimba, and in 2018 Quiros was part of a collective known as Placa Placa to create an album of the same name. The idea was to explore the origins of the marimba and its different forms. It resulted in a joyous album of melodies, rhythms, and cultural handovers.

Different tracks on the album explore different types of marimbas. Rodrigo Mejia plays a marimba de arco, Carlos Lopes Tavera a Marimbol o Marimbula, and both Antonio Vasquez and Juan Elox play the marimba chiapneca. They are joined by Francisco Wilka on Balafón, and Gregorio Quiros on marimba de chonta. Each instrument brings its own sound and culture. The Balafón is the earliest form of the marimba and comes from Africa, and with the instrument present across the album, it feels like a playful handover from African immigrants to American culture as other marimbas join in.

Whilst marimbas lead the way, other instrumentation helps give cultural distinction. ‘El Jarabe Loco’ brings in the Central American leona (a Mexican guitar) and hand percussion for a vivid celebration. The softer resonance of the Balafón lets ‘Patacore’ trickle like tuneful raindrops whilst djembe rolls underneath. Indeed, ‘Patacore’ feels like the best example of what Placa Placa is articulating. As the song progresses, it shapeshifts between marimbas and other African, and Central and Southern American instruments. It showcases the transformation of the marimba over time beautifully. Whilst most of the album is upbeat and jovial, tracks like ‘Bunde’ showcase a more reflective, meditative side to the tuned percussive instrument. By moving around the continents, we get to hear Placa Placa recontextualise the instruments in African, Latin, and Cumbrian settings. Tracks like ‘Douga’, ‘El Sapo’, ‘La Vieja’, and ‘Cumbia’ round off the album in a near global tour-de-force. It’s a feast for the senses and brings a rhythm that your feet cannot resist.

The range of styles and continents travelled in Placa Placa makes it a standout album. I love that the rustle of the organic instrumentation is recorded intact. Nothing has been cleaned up, so bamboo rustles and pumpkin gourd echoes create a hollow noise akin to peaking audio. It feels vibrant, alive, and grounded in the Earth. Marimba often gets pigeonholed as part of an orchestra or sidelined for very specific holiday music. Here, it feels like the life and soul of village festivals and storytelling. Pair it with a sunny day for a walk, and you’ll have an amazing pep in your step. Whilst I’m enjoying Gregorio’s solo work, I’d love to have a sequel to Placa Placa at some point in the future, too.

Recommended track: Patacore

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