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 Murcof
- Mexico’s Electronic Ambassador
29 June 2007
Indie Rocks! Yes well of
course it does, but what about the electronica? Mexico’s electronic
community at this present point in time represents the most internationally
successful segment of Mexico’s tasty musical pie.
With small but incredibly
productive concentrations of artists around the country the emissions made
by labels such as Soundsister Records based in Mexicali and Abolipop from
Guadalajara, as well as capital ventures such as Imeca Music and Konfort
Discos have been making an digital impression throughout the globe.
The technological
orientation of the genre has helped liberate it from the geographic,
economic and political constraints on diffusion of information and
opportunity in its native land. It has managed to reach fans that respond
to the innovative purity of the music being produced.
Static Discos has been the
label that has led the foreign campaign. The closeness to the US border has
helped the labels founder Ejival (aka Jimmy) make distribution connections
with Darla Records in San Diego in order to reach the important, although
dispersed North American market. But one artist in particular has
established a robust reputation in the long standing European scene.
Murcof or Fernando Corona
(depending on what time of day you meet him) is experiencing a continuing
groundswell of support across Europe for his intricate mixture of digital
clicks and beats with classical instrumentation that creates subtle subduing
harmonies.
2006 saw two key events
that highlight his progression in the highly competitive area of ambient
electronica. His appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the winning of
the coveted Quartz Music Award in Paris place him in the highest echelon of
world electronic artists and draws attention to the rapidly expanding
Mexican scene in general.
2007 sees the launch of
his eagerly awaited album “Cosmos” on the UK based Leaf Label and has
brought a flurry of live appearances in order to promote the release. The
Luminaire in Kilburn (voted the best live venue by Time Out in 2006 and
Music Week in 2007) was host to an evening with Murcof at the start of June
the day after playing at the Faster than Sound Festival on an isolated
airbase in the East of England.
The North London venue
painfully illustrates how Mexico is lacking quality space for musicians to
perform. A perfectly designed and fitted out interior creates many viewing
options for the public with prompt starting and finishing times for all
acts. The house rules encourage people to enjoy the music and musicians to
get the most from the night.
It is difficult to imagine
how Murcof’s work translates into a live experience unless one has had the
good fortune to be present at a performance. The respect of the British
audience was immense as Murcof took to the stage. The friendly banter and
exchanges that had taken place between the support act, Bass Clef, and the
crowd evaporated to create a steamy almost eerie silence as Fernando walked
confidently to his setup.
A previously dispersed
pack congealed into a single fleshy ear to receive the deep distortion that
started the set. The sensation of standing in a thick sonic fog lasted a
number of minutes. Then suddenly the beat appeared from the digital gloom.
The process continued as Murcof laboriously injected and extracted new
beats, rhythms and breaks in order to construct then deconstruct his
compositions.
At times almost
discomforting, at times luxuriously satisfying, the music strangely
interwove itself with the audience. The pack fought to show their
appreciation but was restrained by the desire not to disrupt their fellow
listener’s pleasure. After 45 minutes Murcof stood slowly and took one bow
to rapturous applause before leaving the stage.
A quick cross section of
the crowd on the night showed the interesting mix of individuals in terms of
age and appearance, although mostly male, that have taken to Murcof’s
beautiful balance of digitally delivered musical mergers.
People had travelled from
all over the country for this gig. A lad swaying slightly from a long
evening/day of drinking could not restrain his enthusiasm for Murcof’s
music. “We came down from Manchester (200km north of
London).
I am not sure where I found out about Murcof but he hits the fuckin’
electronic nail on the on the fuckin’ electronic head!”
The day after Murcof was
ready to move on to Sonar Festival in his adopted home of Barcelona, where
he shares an impressive billing with Devo and Beastie Boys in the full range
of electronic alternatives spread of three days. “Sonar is important for me;
it is where I first made contact with The Leaf Label in 2001” he says
glancing up from the menu in a bar on Kilburn High Road.
It seems that most
electronic artists are looking for opportunities outside Mexico. Diego and
Israel Martinez from Abolipop Records in Guadalajara are spending some time
with Fernando in order to make contacts in the UK and Spain.
“There is a lack of
infrastructure in Mexico in terms of places to play, shops to sell and media
to tell people about what is happening. The scene in Europe is much better
established and more professionally run in term of support for artists” he
says.
“Mexico’s scene survives
through friendly interaction and people giving rather than taking.” He goes
on to mention many of the characters take the scene is built around focusing
on the energy of Nixon in Puebla with the Poni Republic Netlabel and the
creativity and commitment of experimental artist and Mandorla founder
Manrico Montero “Manrico brings people together and has done incredible
interesting things for the Mexican scene”, Fernanado insisted waiting for an
inattentive waitress.
The conversation naturally
moves on to the new album and progression made in his work over time.
“Cosmos represents a move away from the traditional compositions present in
Martes and Remembranza”, Fernando points out tucking enthusiastically into a
vegetable curry. “It has acoustic and electronic elements, breaking down
accepted song structures but leaving harmony behind it its purest form.”
A chance to listen to the
promotional copy (the official release date is set for September in the UK)
confirms Fernando’s reflections. The 6 arrangements of around 10 minute
musical forms fuse together to take you on a subliminal journey imagining
over a year and half of work at the most nanoscopic of musical levels. The
result is one of pacification and even enlightenment as the album time
sweeps smoothly by.
The future holds plans to
build an ensemble around his work with live acoustic instrumentation. In
Sonar and at the Mediarte Festival in Monterrey at the end of August he will
be working with piano virtuoso Fernando Tristano. The trip west will
include an appearance in the San Francisco Electronic Music Festival, he
regards the city as an “island of electronica” distinct from the rest of the
US.
With production or post
production credits on many of Mexico’s recent electronic releases from a
range of labels Fernando feels its time to concentrate on his own work. “I
have a number of soundtracks to focus on for Mexican and Spanish
filmmakers. This will keep me more than busy for the near future.” The
work includes music for La Sangre Iluminada by Mexico City director Ivan
Avila Duenas.
As he picks up his
surprisingly light selection of luggage for an afternoon flight he turns
before leaving and points to the copy of Cosmos “Inside that you will find
me, a lot of care and hard work, enjoy it!” With that he disappears as if
deleted from the afternoon.
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