Where the heck have I been? Barcelona’s El Guincho isn’t a Stateside fixture yet, but just wait til word of his hypnotic, Congatronics-meets-Villalobos percussive pop leaks beyond the safe confines of music biz email lists. The widespread comparisons to Panda Bear’s magical 2007 record, Person Pitch, are well justified - both albums owe a debt of gratitude to the hazy nostalgia for 60’s melodies and sway-with-me charm, but El Guincho’s Alegranza! just makes me want to dance more. Calypso beats are perfectly at home next to African chants and distinctly Mediterranean instrumentation, all spiked playfully with vocal hooks that’ll make you swear you’ve been listening to this stuff forever. It’s at once refreshing, unique, and rooted deeply in traditions as old as hand drums and as recent as Strawberry Jam.

A bunch of lucky fuckin’ New Yorkers caught riotous sets this week at Mercury Lounge (opening for another strong SXSW contender, Cut Copy) and at Brooklyn’s Union Pool, bringing Detroit techno knob twiddling wizardry and percussive prodigy to the forefront of some overworked musical minds for a hot minute. Shake your ass or let your head explode, either way you’ll be set on fire if you ever have the chance to see this cat live.

In the noisy clusterfuck that’s become SXSW, standing out is a lofty goal and a major accomplishment. With a gift for holding back just enough to leave you wanting more, El Guincho’s going to carry some heavy expectations into any U.S. tour he embarks on this summer. I’m just praying there will be one at all.

MP3: El Guincho - Fata Morgana

MP3: El Guincho - Antillas

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