XIXA are described as ‘Tucson’s mystical psychedelic-cumbia-rock band’ and feature Giant Sand members Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan. According to the press release XIXA ‘are psychedelic. XIXA are cumbia. But, most of all, XIXA are rock ‘n roll.’
I can’t be the only person on the planet unfamiliar with cumbia, which the mighty (if questionably reliable) Wikipedia informs me is ‘a dance-oriented music genre popular throughout Latin America’ which ‘originated in Colombia’s Caribbean coastal region from the musical and cultural fusion of native Colombians, Africans, and the Spanish during colonial times in the old country of Pocabuy, which is located in Colombia’s Momposina Depression and in the ancient palenques of the Congo nation.’
Furthermore, ‘Cumbia began as a courtship dance practiced among the African population, which was later mixed with Amerindian steps and European and African instruments and musical characteristics. Cumbia is very popular in the Andean region and the Southern Cone.’
It seems like quite a stylistic shift for the pair, but it seems they’ve got a creative itch here, and it’s surely better for a side-project to be as far removed from the day-job as possible than to sound like some tossed-out offcuts.
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The first track, ‘Shift and Shadow’ abandons a dark psychedelic rumble for the eastern promise of a snake-charmer’s piping call swinging by way of a hipswaying Latin dance groove. It shouldn’t work, but it’s oddly compelling.
Sometimes, a cover can be a distraction, and this is rather the case here: ‘Plateau’ is the Meat Puppets song popularised by Nirvana through their ‘Unplugged’ session. XIXA’s version is a grizzled country interpretation with a flamenco midsection.
The final track, ‘Dead Man’ is perhaps the most rock ‘n’ roll track in the set, beautifully dubby, a brittle guitar, drifting across arid landscapes is a dry wash of reverb, conjures a haunting desert rock vibe over lively Latina rhythms
As hybrids go, XIXA have produced one of the more unusual sounds around. And yes, I’d declare it a successful one.
XIXA Online
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