The moombahton movement continues, and while I can’t offer daily reviews (like some people), occasionally a few releases will come along that require special attention. On these three new releases, each moombahnista’s background shines through in service of personal, powerful tunes.
Pickster & Melo – Arizonaton
Pickster and Melo have held down the moombahton scene in Phoenix since the beginning. Together, the pair have had well-received songs on Summer of Moombahton and the Moombahton Massive III EP.
The Arizonaton EP opens with the soulful “Fat Booty,” which is built around the Aretha Franklin sample (“One Step Ahead”) that drives the Mos Def classic “Ms. Fat Booty.” Melo’s “Es Dificil” is a flip of a song by reggaeton performer De La Ghetto; this is the type of edit that only a DJ with deep reggaeton roots can pull off, which Melo has. Arizonaton has something for everyone, including the requisite moombahcore banger “Going Out to the Hardcore.”
Billy the Gent / Long Jawns / JWLS – Vibrate Chick
Billy the Gent is a producer to watch. Just a year ago he was killing ’em with wobbles and now he’s at the center of the moombahton scene. His secret? A firm grip on the zeitgeist and an easygoing, collaborative attitude; this is a dude everyone wants to work with.
With longtime collaborator Long Jawns, the Gent crafted “Vibrate” out of the Petey Pablo track of the same name. “Vibrate” is a perfect, booty-dropping peak hour track. Miami’s JWLS offers a remix of “Vibrate” and works with Billy on “Chick Like This.” The marching drums and gunshots on the latter are simply vicious; I want this song to play whenever I enter a club.
Philadelphyinz / Uncle Jesse / Obeyah – 8 Inches of Moombahton
May 19th is a special all-Moombahton edition of Tropicalismo in Philadelphia; 8 Inches of Moombahton marks the occasion.
Apt One continues to morph house tracks into smooth moombah ones. While David Heartbreak gave “Witch Doktor” a shot previously, Apt One’s take is superior. Skinny Friedman’s “Alison Brie Running in Slow Motion” is space-funk-moombahton, made even better by the best name I’ve seen in a while (knowing the reference helps). Obeyah gets to the heart of moombahton, slowing down “Like This,” while Uncle Jesse’s percussive “Art Attack” relies a little too much on the “bloodclot” sample.
Download: Arizonaton
Download: Vibrate Chick
Download: 8 Inches of Moombahton
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