Buyepongo, which means “to cause a ruckus,” is bringing their perfectly infectious rhythms into the spotlight on Túmbalo. Their latest album, out Nov. 10, is bringing together elements not typically found stateside.
A unique hybrid of traditional sounds heard across Colombia, Haiti, Belize, Honduras and the Dominican Republic (countries that all know how to party) echo through the entirety of Túmbalo. Infused with a mashup of hip-hop, punk, funk, and jazz, it’s all blended together to form Buyepongo’s fusion genre Buyangu.
Sure to get you up and dancing, Buyepongo is causing a ruckus on dance floors everywhere with their latest album Túmbalo.
“Música Alegre” opens the infectious album with a slower start that quickly picks up. Bongos layers with a call-and-response lead directly into a simple, yet bound to be stuck in your head, electrified guitar riff. Instantly, you’re holding back the urge to stand up and dance. “Música Alegre” is a true declaration of the start of Buyepongo’s party.
Bringing in those fusion elements, “Allvio” draws in sounds as eerie of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin’s iconic “Stairway To Heaven” intro. However, quickly the track finds the Latin and Central American flair. Perfectly capturing the vibrant spirit of Buyepongo, the Túmbalo party is still going strong throughout the album.
“Amado” truly ties in jazz influences with a filled-in horn line and modern guitar. The repetitive and tricky riff drives the track to a solid dancing tempo. Layered with saxophone buzzing and flares, alongside a distorted guitar that feels extraterrestrial, “Amando” is out of this world.
Ending the album on a high note, “Vageo” is a true dance-heavy track. With a non-stop feel, the track transports you to a vacation paradise filled with sand between your toes and long, warm nights.
Playing together since high school and an original incarnation split in 2010, a few members of Buyepongo embarked on a life-changing backpacking trip through Belize and Guatemala. Exposing them to Afro-Caribbean sounds, the trip was a true eye opener for the group’s sound.
“I realized that we could do a lot just by changing rhythms and adding our funk and flavor from growing up in L.A. Since then our mission has been to keep improving our sound and creating a new style of music.” – Edgar Modesto (Conguira / Percussion / Vocals)
Interested in Túmbalo? Stream it on BandCamp and follow the band on Twitter and Facebook for more.
