Title: Ghetto Kumbé
Artist: Ghetto Kumbé
Label: ZZK Records
Format: CD, LP, Digital
Release Date: July 31, 2020

Hailing from Colombia’s Caribbean coast, the threesome of Ghetto Kumbé infuse the traditional music of their home with futuristic electronic touches. The group’s self-titled debut album, released on Latin American electronic label ZZK, chronicles a tale of love, loss, and revolution.

In each track on Ghetto Kumbé, the trio’s Columbian roots are prominent. Caribbean house beats and Afro-Colombian rhythms form the base of their songs, combined with UK Bass scene-inspired production courtesy of co-producer The Busy Twist. The album’s latest single, “Tambó,” is a melancholy and introspective look at sincere love and loss while another single, “Vamo a Dale Duro,” is a fiery critique of capitalism, income inequality, and political corruption.

Throughout their eponymous album, Ghetto Kumbé seamlessly transition between futuristic electronic production styles and Colombian-inspired ancestral chants, blistering lyrical criticisms and nostalgic ballads.

Reviewed by Chloe McCormick