Joaquin Cornejo Las Frutas EP

Continuing to push his sound into new realms through experimentation with different influences, Joaquin Cornejo returns to Earthly Measures with his first ever vinyl release. The ‘Las Frutas’ EP contains 6 genre-bending, tempo-shifting tracks that form to create a mesmerising blend of footwork, dub, Latin & African percussion. ‘Las Frutas’ explores a collaboration with both the Spanish singer Alex Serra and British DJ and trumpet player DJ Swordfish. It’s constructed by a warped and pitched down drum break that has been slowly surrounded by subby kicks, toms and dub chords that echo through tape delays, giving it a wonderfully spaced out atmosphere that provides the perfect backdrop for the soothing vocals and brass instruments. ‘Spatial Request’ sees a shift in tempo as Joaquin once again blends elements of Dub but this time with the driving Dominican rhythm Merengue. The result is a track that is very much fuel for the mind and body as the vibey atmosphere and percussive focus helps to keep the track moving with bouncy momentum. Effortlessly combining music from his home country with the Dub theme that has been apparent throughout, ‘Dub en 3’ is a percussion jam from Ecuadorian percussion duo Consulado del Ritmo, where African triplet rhythms crossover with strong dub techno stabs and a Dub MC sample echoes in and out creating a effective blend of tribal and dubby elements. ‘Eso’ sees the return of the percussive wizardry of Consulado del Ritmo but this time in collaboration with the Venezuelan singer Gotopo. A relentless amalgamation of 160bpm djembe grooves, solid 808 kick drums, deep and sultry vocals and synth stabs feed-backing on tape create a driving blend of African percussion and footwork with a subtle touch of dub techno. Perhaps the darkest track on the record, ‘Shadow’ is a collaboration with the English singer-songwriter Wabi Sabi aka Anna Bailey. Exploring a deep fusion of footwork, dubstep and dub techno alongside strong tape delay and Wabi Sabi’s hauntingly beautiful vocals, it glides experimentally through the shadows of the previous track. ‘Las Frutas’ Vapor Mix’ is a distant dreamy take on the original where the vocals ebb and flow throughout creating an otherworldly ambience. This piece is made up of elements from the other tracks, pitched down or up on tape and layered in a tempo-independent way, producing the perfect ambient ending to the journey.