Los Thuthanaka, the band enchantingly fusing traditional Bolivian music with modern beats, has once again swayed its audience. Their brand-new album ‘Wak’a’ decidedly displays a softer tonality, a mellower approach to their signature vigor, which is being widely accepted by global audiences.
This shift in their music style represents their follow-up to last year’s unexpected favorite on Pitchfork, a respected platform for cult and underground music. Their previous album set a new high in the cross-cultural music scene, revealing an unexpected edge in traditional Andean music and influencing Vo…. Records to sign them, a significant step for a Bolivian music group.
Wak’a, characterized by its gentler, more subdued melodies, has brought a fresh air to the rhythmic music circuit. It’s a significant divergence from their previous work, which largely adopted a more momentous and heavy style.
Aside from the difference in tonality, the new album also maintains an underpinning theme of narratives related to pre-colonial history. A more laid-back synthesizer presence implies subtle, yet compelling, sounds offering listeners a calming and serene experience.
The album’s first single ‘Aymara’ drew attention with its wistful acoustics and noble expressions of culture. An accompanying music video showcases the group’s native Bolivia’s landscape, from verdant fields to craggy mountain ranges, with cuts to the urban settings of La Paz, effectively promoting the nation’s rich cultural diversity.
Various online platforms have already commenced praising the release. Critics from ‘Consequence of Sound’ note the album’s “ability to take a step back from an excitingly raucous debut, reflecting a more harmonious soundtrack that is equally captivating.” While music blog ‘The Line of Best Fit’s review states, “Wak’a’s contemplative, languid aura addresses the magnitude of tradition while carving out a modern niche.”
A comprehensive review from ‘PopMatters’, another popular music website, identified Wak’a as a “surprising shift, an exploration of a different kind of intensity”. It further stressed the album’s “hauntingly beautiful narrative encapsulated within the music, bolstered by compelling yet subdued beats.”
The album, comprising nine evocative songs, ascertains Los Thuthanaka as a niche band possessing the fine dexterity to maneuver tradition alongside modernity. Tracks like ‘Sipas’ and ‘Kallawaya’ stand out due to the layered harmonies laced with imagery.
Los Thuthanaka has designed this album with an intention to tell stories of their Andean heritage through the universal language of music. Each melody, layered with traditional verses and modern beats, weaves tales of Andean mythology, encompassing vivid landscapes, history, and rituals.
‘Wak’a,’ in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Andean region, translates as ‘sacred object,’ encapsulating the sanctity of ancient narratives and folklore in a manner aptly echoed by their music.
Los Thuthanaka’s new release is a clear indication of their musical evolution, proving their ability to keep their roots intact while creating a sound that resonates with a global audience. Here’s hoping that just like its predecessor, ‘Wak’a’, with its unique mellow aesthetics, continues to earn rave views and fame globally.
Original Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/907174/los-thuthanaka-waka-review
