Batida

Alegria EP Batida

Angolan / Portuguese Batida is back with the Alegria EP, the second remix laden offshoot single from his debut LP released early this year. Mixing the syncopated, synthetic rhythms of kuduro with elements of classic 1970s semba and congolese-influenced guitar licks Batida's creator Pedro Coquenão and others have extended and re-worked three of the best album cuts. For the opening track of the EP Batida has re-worked and extended the feel-good cut 'Alegria' , stretching it out over six minutes as well as providing a radio friendly edit. As the name of the track suggests 'Alegria' is perhaps the most joyous cut from the record, here strung out for the dancefloor. Two of his close musical allies, Portuguese producer Beat Laden and Brazilian Maga Bo, take to the dials for the B-side, re-working two more album tracks. The original version of 'Puxa' was conceived at Beat Laden's studio in Lisbon and so returning the favour Batida gave the reigns to his friend on this earth-shaking, bass heavy dubbed out remix. Maga Bo adds extra percussion and urgency to the shuffling 'Cuka' that features Angolan MC Ikonoklasta telling the fictional story of an old maestro of the "Alcoholic Wako Kungo Orchestra" that only uses Cuca (Angolan national beer) cans and bottles as instruments and ends up "on the other side of the town" because he talks too much. 2012 has seen Batida making waves across Europe, taking his powerhouse live show to some of the biggest festivals across the continent. Blowing away all who've seen it his show features dancers, percussionists, live samples and MCs alongside visuals and images (both archive and new) of Angolan street life, the civil war and fragments of tribal life.