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Electronic
interaction
20 April 2007
At times the music
business can seem like a dog eat dog world. In a market where perhaps only
five percent of the population represent the effective demand (desire backed
by ability to pay) for alternative music things can get cut throat and the
focus often resorts to self preservation. In this atmosphere the benefit of
a community spirit, shared values and the desire for change can be lost.
The possibility of
using interaction as an engine of growth is best exemplified by the
electronic element of the Mexican scene. This is something that is
encouraged by the nature of the medium in which artists work. Technology
orientated and internet based, the spread of electronic music has been
relatively rapid. Already many Mexican artists from labels such as Konfort
and Imeca Music have enjoyed success in places like Japan and Europe; but
most interestingly things are developing in terms of the western hemisphere
as well.
To the north the
Mutek Festival based in
Montreal
has adopted Mexico City as its Latin American base and will run the fourth
edition here in October this year. Mexican acts have been making a crucial
contribution in developing what is one of the most anticipated events of the
year. Fax and Murcof have also taken advantage of the link to perform in
Canada in front of new audiences and spread the word about the quality of
electronic music being produced here.
Southern things are
starting to happen as well. The Chilean collective Pueblo Nuevo is
presently in the country enjoying the hospitality of Mexico’s electronic
infrastructure. Their 3 week tour takes them to the three most important
hubs within the network where they have received the full support of each
local scene.
·
In el
DF CCE Konfort Discos, their artists’ emmerichk and drxl, and a cross
section of respected characters attended.
·
In
Guadalajara Transistor from Abolipop and Piscis from AMP Records played on
the evening to guarantee a local crowd.
·
In
Tijuana and Mexicali, at the centre of the “BC Sound” in a state where a
range of excellent electronica is produced, Discos Invisibles and Cyan
Records with Mars and señuelo helped to create the right vibe for their
visitors.
The Pueblo Nuevo
artists, Alisu, Mika Martini and Danieto have found the scene in Mexico much
more developed than in there native Chile and certainly will have enjoyed
and benefited from the experience. The key issue is the distinction between
opportunity and threat from a Mexican perspective.
A focus on a fixed
market size with a rapidly expanding number of proposals means imports could
be interpreted as a challenge to the incumbent acts. This especially is the
case if little is being done to spread the word and actively encourage
converts that will result in a bigger cake for more people.
It seems that the
electronic scene understands the benefits of competition. More choice
raises quality and opening your domestic scene up to international acts
introduces an extra dynamic to this process. Not only that but Latin
America must be considered as a natural market for Mexican music even though
the waft of dollars waved by northern neighbours must at times seem
irresistible.
Chile represents
one of the most forward focused and outward orientated countries within the
region. It has a highly educated population with high incomes relative to
the rest of the continent. Thus the benefit of providing the kind of
support that has been experienced by Pueblo Nuevo is the reciprocation
Mexican artists will experience on tours to the Southern Cone.
links:
http://discoskonfort.com
http://pueblonuevo.cl
http://abolipop.com
http://discosinvisibles.org
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