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Tango’s New Shoes By Jessica Rodríguez An non-traditional marriage between tango and electronica produces a spirited offspring Nothing about La Catedrál is typical. This abandoned warehouse turned milonga (tango dance hall), located in the Buenos Aires barrio of Amalgro, is barely recognizable to the untrained eye. If not for the soft thumps of bass and a steady stream of eager fanáticos entering the barn-sized doors, you wouldn’t know it existed. Inside, a large papier mâché heart practically pulsates from the ceiling as music pours from the large speakers next to an altar-like stage. On the floor a hodge podge of mix-and-match tables and chairs are tightly crammed together to conserve space for dancing. Amongst the young disciples that glide along the floor and hover on its fringes are a mix of dancers, travelers and spectators who have gravitated to this trendy, but still underground, nightclub. Just don’t expect to see women in fishnets and glittery t-strap shoes or men in fedoras and suspenders; this diverse crowd favors crop tops and jeans over the typical tango uniform. La Catedrál’s musical selection is just as eclectic as its decor and clientele. Songs from Carlos Gardel, Argentina’s famed tango martyr and tango’s Golden Age still dominate. But the playlist also includes folk and rock. It is also one of the few nightclubs in the city where you can experience electronic tango. This new addition to the genre’s musical family keeps couples moving around the clock in seductive syncopation. Neo-tango, as it is called by its followers, has taken root amongst music lovers, musicians and dancers alike. The sound is a hybrid that marries traditional tango composition and instruments with electronic synthesizers and programs. Thanks to wanderlust, neo-tango’s pioneers are mining their experiences abroad to create a new underground musical movement at home. While a new generation begins to embrace this movement older aficionados are doubtful. “They want to keep things the same, they don’t like change,” Masri said. He believes this attitude has kept young, potential fans away because they aren’t interested in “their grandparent’s music.” This new technologically advanced sound could be the needed resuscitation tango needs. “It’s new and refreshing,” Masri exclaimed. ”It’s like a revolution.” And while some see the movement as fleeting, he believes it has staying power. “If we all make quality music and don’t think of it as a fad than I think it can last.” While the music is certainly on fire internationally, masses of Argentinos are still slowly catching on. It wasn’t until 2004 that groups like Tanghetto were invited to perform at national tango festivals like Bandonèon Week and the Tango Championships. But all were positive indications that neo-tango is gaining acceptance. But not everyone agrees with the percieved popularity this new rhythm has taken. Grant C. Dull, co-owner of WhatsUpBuenosAires.com, a bilingual webzine for tourists and locals, believes the music’s main audience are foreigners. “It’s not very popular, a very small portion of the city even knows it exists,” Dull says. “There is an audience, but it’s just not massive yet. It’s a very nascent movement.” But Dull, an American ex-pat whose company has worked promoting Ultratango, Tanghetto and Narcotango, believes the music can be massive. “Neo-tango fuses modern elements and modernizes an art that desperately needs it,” Dull says. “I see it going places.” Truthfully, the mixing of melodies and instruments to create new tango sounds is nothing new. After all, tango was born from a combination of different musical styles: the milonga and flamenco (Spanish and indigenous folk songs), the habanera (Cuban danzón), and candombe (African percussion). As times change, tango and its followers have always changed with it. The bandoneón, the sister of the accordian that gives tango its characteristic cry, replaced the flute in the tango line-up in the late 1800s. Lyrics were unheard of until Carlos Gardel, the legendary singer who died tragically at the height of his career, added melancoly laments of love and loss and started a renaissance. And when composer Astor Piazzolla began incorporating jazz and classical arrangements, people at the time were quite comfortable with the status quo. While some may reject or misunderstand neo-tango’s purpose, the music will continue to stretch, grow and move, attracting new fans and keeping dedicated tangueros listening and moving on the dance floor. |
Neo-Tango » Listen to Neo-Tango artists on Batanga's Tango station » Subscribe to Club Batanga to watch videos and more! Neo-tango fuses modern elements and modernizes an art that desperately needs it...I see it going places.” -- Grant C. Dull |
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