Fabriclive 49 allows Buraka Som Sistema the honour of stepping up to mix for the next installment of the series. While the Fabriclive branch of the revered Fabric series tends too be more dominated by breaks, drum and bass and hip hop than the standard Fabric mixes, for those who haven’t heard of the quartet before, some clues may lie in their exotic sounding name.

The electronic project from Portugal are knights of ‘kuduro’, a genre of electronic music which remains foreign to most Australian clubbers. With its African roots, it was transported primarily to Lisbon in the 80s and 90s with an influx of primarily Angolan immigrants, who with them brought their traditional music. It was in Lisbon however, where their music’s traditional elements evolved with more up tempo, electronic and energetic influences, which resulted in totally danceable, tribal type genre of music, which is now known as kuduro. While lovers of dancehall/ragga are likely to be fans, as they share calypso and soca rhythms, kuduro is less reggae influenced, and doesn’t cross the line into grime (which a lot of uk dancehall music does). Overall, it’s a much more danceable, party driven type of music.

So be ready to brace your self for a musical ride grace of Buraka Som Sistema. While being kind enough to showcase off their own work, which is what has being getting them noticed (not just in Portugal, but in Europe over the last couple years as well), a large majority of the tracks in the mix are their own, and there aren’t too many familiar productions on here that club kids will recognise.

But fear not. This adventure is one worth taking. While the tribal beats may appear tough initially, for a mix spanning 28 tracks, there is enough electro and melody to still make this a completely danceable mix from start to finish. It appears that Buraka Som Sistema have the perfect balance between traditional elements, with the finest integration of electronic elements and modern dance music infused electro. As a result, somehow they prevent allowing this set from sounding like just another standard tribal set.

Tracks like United Groove (fittingly remixed by BSS) has a Sander Kleinenberg feel to it, but obviously with BSS in charge of the remix, they bring some kuduro flavour to it, and without taking over, get the perfect balance going, enhancing the best of both sounds, and keeping butts on the dancefloor.

While majority of the tracks not from BSS tend to be less kuduro driven then their own, or their remixes, this works well, to create a contrast and varitations in sound, without being too disconnected. Diplo and Laidback Luke’s Hey, and the track Fick offer brief alternatives to the primarily kuduro driven sound, and these tracks compliment the mix well.

Mermaid Dub, aptly gets dubby, which is another nice change in sound, and whilst it moves away from kuduro, it still retains traces of the genre which seems to float in and out. Rock Yo Hips, gets some hip hop happening which again, seems fitting, with the kudro-esque backing music, and the minimal elements of Danca Da Mae Ju conjures up a latin sounding version of Cladue Von Stroke’s The Whistler. The anthem, Run for Cover, surprisingly adds some club cred, with its dancehall assault, sliding in very nicely towards the end of the mix, before letting a more latin sound take over for the final tracks closing the mix, with BSS closing with one of their own.

With its sumptuous track selection and mixing, Buraka Som Sistema’s mix for Fabriclive 49 is a treasure that can only have its appreciation discovered by listening to it. Definitely party worthy, if you left this on repeat for the night, I doubt revelers would have much to complain about. Definitely worth giving a listen to, those adventurous enough wont be disappointed, as there is enough variation on here for anyone to find appeal. Buraka Som Sistema get the perfect balance, while giving us a good introduction into the tribal world kuduro.

Tracklisting for FabricLive 49: Buraka Som Sistema:

01. Dre Skull – Gone Too Far Ft Sizzla (Buraka Som Sistema Remix)
02. Buraka Som Sistema – General (Stenchman Mix)
03. Buraka Som Sistema – General (L-VIS 1990 Mix)
04. Ku Bo Ft Anbuley – Tsu Bo
05. DJ Znobia – Pausa
06. Buraka Som Sistema – Kurum (Roulet Mix)
07. Seductive – Underground Sound
08. Diplo & Laidback Luke – Hey
09. Buraka Som Sistema – IC19 (A1 Bassline Attack Mix)
10. L-VIS 1990 – United Groove (Buraka Som Sistema Remix)
11. Skream – Fick
12. DJ Riot – Mermaid Dub
13. Zomby – Dynamite Sandwich
14. Crime Mob – Rock Yo Hips Ft Lil Scrappy
15. DJ Znobia – Danca Da Mae Ju (Buraka Som Sistema Edit)
16. Batida – Bazuka (Quem Me Rusgou?)
17. Yolanda Be Cool – Afro Nuts (Douster Remix)
18. Solo – Joga Bola
19. Buraka Som Sistema Feat Deize Tigrona – Aqui Para Voces (Buratronic Mix By Buraka Som Sistema)
20. Djedjotronic – Gum Attack
21. Harvard Bass – Caked / Buraka Som Sistema Feat Pongolove – Kalema (Wegue Wegue) Acapella
22. Mastiksoul – Run For Cover (Dub Mix)
23. Nova Lima – Machete
24. DJ Malvado – Puto Mekie
25. Buraka Som Sistema – Luanda-Lisboa (Nic Sarno Mix)
26. SonicC – Stickin
27. Major Lazer – Bruk Out (Buraka Som Sistema Mix)
28. Buraka Som Sistema Feat Bruno M – Tiroza (Bert On Beats Remix)