Earthy Measures 13th release sees them delving deeper with a 5 track EP from the Colombian, OKRAA – very much inspired by his native country, and his most personal release to date.
First track on the EP ‘Song To Say Goodbye’ is inspired by African communities in Colombia, Desplazamiento, & based on a native Colombian rhythm called ‘Bullerengue’ with added Electro & Acid elements.
Baile de Fuego (Fiebre Mix) takes its inspiration from communities from the Pacific coast of Colombia. Their native instrument, ‘Marimba de Chonta’ was used as the main source for the track, which was then processed and combined with elements of the UK Bass Continuum and Acid House
Bunde Niebla was inspired by the tradition of Colombian ‘Alumbranzas’, a local religious musical ceremony, with which the indigenous group of Yanakona’s in the region of Nariño meditate through the use of self-made bamboo flutes and drums + prayer.
Many testimonies speak of spiritual healing and premonitions. This was also the chance to pay a nice homage to Colombian Indigenous musician and Luthier Cenen Omen, who inspired and taught music to several generations of local and indigenous people in a sadly forgotten area of Colombia.
The song also samples a track by an ancestor of OKRAA called ‘Bunde Tolimense’, which is the anthem for the Colombian region of Tolima.
Aura explores a more introspective nature, the lyrics in Spanish speak about facing your own ego, to understand it’s a burden that you can let go of to finally become free/yourself/one.
Arbol: Ex-Humano was an experiment that OKRAA always wanted to try: Salsa + Acid House, which he did it after an Ayahuasca trip. In English – Tree: Ex-Human.
Notes from the artist -Desplazamiento (El Baile Como Salvación / Dance as a Salvation): Many indigenous people, and members from the country-side communities in Colombia have been forced through the years to leave their hometown due to expropriation of their lands, forcing them to live in cities in extreme poverty. The feeling of helplessness and the wish to help them but not being able to make a huge difference for the lack or shortage of money. There’s many artists and musicians that have had to go through this, and they make art their way of coping with it.
-Espíritus y Árboles: The ‘Awá’, an Indigenous group from the area of Nariño in Colombia, have several ways of seeing life and beliefs that inspired me, one of them especially, which was that all humans become trees after they live their human lives, and they remain in the land as living creatures to guide or sometimes punish humans.
