Various
“Ayahuasca: Psychedelic Cumbias Vol. 1”

What have we here? At first glance it seems like the missing volume from our Groove Club series, which it so easily could have been! This is stunning collection—which took more than fifteen years to put together—of hot, rare tracks that combine cumbia with psychedelic rock. Starting in the late 1960's, there was a boom of tropical music in Peru, both in Lima and the provinces. Cumbia Peruana merged this tropical sound with that of psychedelic rock. Aspects of cumbia were mixed with electric (often fuzz) guitar, played over Andean and jungle rhythms—this combination provoked an explosion of original music. An instrument to lead the way, usually from the introduction of the song; over this, hypnotic layers of keyboards and guitar with fuzz and wah wah; add simple bass-lines; and to top it off, syncopated rhythms from bongos, congas, huiros, cymbals, timbales, often played at breakneck speed. In the end, it's like a sonic cousin to Nigerian music: these musicians liked guitar, they had a fondness for echo, and they loved a murky high-octane jam. Fierce, funky and full of flavor!

•Snazzy bi-lingual insert w/photos + info on the development of the Cumbias Psicodélicas sound

•All tracks newly remastered for this vinyl release

Track List:
Side A:
01. El Opio: Kashanga
02. Grupo Santa Fé: Simple de Santa Fé
03. El Comienzo: El árbol
04. Los Charles de Huaral: El judío
05. Los Telstar’s: Negra toma cachina
06. Los Escaramujos: Soul finger

Side B:
01. Los Telstar’s: Bongocero
02. The Black Cats: Sueño mágico
03. Grupo Armonía de Pucallpa: Selva ardiente
04. Los Darlings de Huánuco: Marihuana
05. Conjunto Miel: Mulata
06. Ranil y su conjunto: Las oleadas

Catalogue number: LION LP-175
UPC: 778578317515