v.a. – tenampa essentials

Tenampa is a Mexican label that, like the likes of MEXA before it, revels in its heritage but also takes many of its influences from abroad.

Having hosted the likes of Aki Bergen, Chaim and Daniel Steinberg in their time, they’ve serious pedigree in that domain too. Their latest installation, however, sees them look closer to home, as they draw on a host of Mexican producers for Tenampa Essentials, a release that aims to showcase all that’s great and good about the imprint. And all things considered, they do a fine job at doing exactly that.

Getting us underway is Yoni Yarchi & Tai Tager’s ‘Sirocco’, a track full of brilliant percussive wares and Latin percussion. The sort of mystical track that’d find its way into Villalobos’ sets, it’s one that’s cheeky but both refined at the same time. ‘Across the Universe’ is a more melodic and hypnotic track that comes at us from Marcos in Dub. So far, so very good, and that’s before we even encounter Mattia Pompeo’s ‘Silencieux’, which is the EP’s standout cut – for reasons which you’ll understand once you encounter it.

Danito & Athina and Someone Outside come together excellently afterwards on ’Sparks’, which delivers exactly what it says on the tin. Finally, Dark Soul Project’s ‘Night Pleasure’ merges a brilliant diva vocal with a raucous baseline that’s not to feel touched by. With something for everyone here, this really is a release that symbolises all that’s great about a label you might want to watch out for.

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more info:

Tenampa // Yoni Yarchi + Tai Tager // Marcos in Dub // Mattia Pompeo // Danito & Athina // Someone Outside