Cumbia, My Lord, Cumbia

Buenos Aires’ Zizek Urban Beats Club is a party that spotlights local musicians and DJs (and occasional out-of-town guests) who play a uniquely Argentinean strain of the Latin American dance music style known as cumbia. While the term has come to be somewhat of a catch-all encompassing a strange international spectrum, from strict traditionalists to boy-band style concoctions, the style popular at Zizek is a young, urban, hybridized version of the basic four-on-the-floor groove. Based in electronic music, it draws influence from other global micro-genres, which prompted the Zizek crew to add a few of its own, like cumbia crunk, cumbiastep, and cumbia hop. Sure, sampling is nothing new, but when an act like Axel K Soundsystem makes funk music out of little more than giggles and accordion, it's got our attention. AKS plus King Coya & El Trip Selector, Frikstailers, Tremor, and El Remolón arrive at Tormenta Tropical for one steamy night in the fog on the “Zizek USA Tour.” — Tamara Palmer
Sat., March 8, 9 p.m., 2008