MONARETA

Genre: Alternative
Secondary Genre: Electronic/Dance/DJ Bogota, Not Applicable Colombia Contact

Glitchy, danceable, exotic. The real MERECUNDUB. ELECTROCLASH meets Colombian PORRO and CUMBIA.

Artist Information

Biography

Nacional Records is proud to announce that Colombian electronic band Monareta released in U.S., Mexico, and Japan the physical debut of ‘Picotero’. The group has previously released two digital albums, ‘La Bonanza’ and a self-titled release, via Nacional’s digital label. Their music has been featured in the soundtracks for movies like “La Mujer de Mi Hermano” and Warner Pictures film “Pride & Glory”.
Monareta first came together when composer, producer and vocalist Andres Martinez started mixing break beats and hip hop flows with keyboardist Camilo Sanabria in clubs and electronic music festivals throughout their hometown of Bogota. “Growing up, even as young as 11, I was really involved in the local freestyle streetbike scene,” Martinez recounts. “It was the 80s and all the streetbikers in Colombia were heavily influenced by the break-dance and electric boogaloo music styles arriving from the U.S. We heard groups like the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy and they completely changed our lives. The brands of our bikes were not Mongoose or GT. We had Monaretas. And so that’s how we got the name for our group—it’s a homage to the ’80s break-dance, hip hop, BMX and fashion scene sounds that came from abroad to influence us in South America.”
Once Monareta began to develop their sound, Martinez received a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Master of Arts in composition and film scoring at New York University. He moved from Bogota to New York City and immersed himself in the local scene. Monareta found a receptive crowd in the electro haven of Brooklyn and Martinez integrated what he was learning with his studies into the group’s cinematic sound.
“It’s the whole idea of telling a story without showing images,” Martinez says. “In our case, we don’t use many lyrics either. Instead, we use sound textures to build atmospheres and allegories to certain images and ideas.”
While fellow Colombians Sidestepper combine electronic music with salsa, Monareta mixes electronic music with cumbia and champeta, the Afro-Colombian genre native to the streets of the country’s Caribbean coast. They also incorporate the reggae, dub and calypso sounds popular in the coastal cities. On ‘Picotero’, the track “Llama” displays this fusion, where the cumbia upbeat flows seamlessly with a reggae groove and dub vocals.
Recently, the group has split time living in Colombia and Brooklyn, while performing across the U.S. Monareta has showcased at SXSW 2008 and 2009, CMJ 08, NXNE, and LAMC '06 and '09. They've alternated with bands such as Fabulosos Cadillacs and Nortec Collective. They just toured Mexico in December '09 and January '10, alternating with band Mexican Institute of Sound.

Instrumentation

Andres Martinez- Vocals, Guitar, Synths.
Camilo Sanabria-Vocals, Synths, subbass.
Sergio Medina-Drums
Ximena Diaz-video and visuals.

Discography

ELECTRONOCHE 2006 (Nacional Records)
LA BONANZA 2007 (Nacional Records)
LA MUJER DE MI HERMANO 2006 (Nacional Records)
"Matanza Funk"
CHICAS PROJECT 2007 (Nacional Records)
"Llama"
"Improvisa" , Monareta remixes Aterciopelados
PICOTERO 2009(Latest Album, NACIONAL RECORDS, AUGUST 2009, EMI MEXICO, MARCH 2009 SUR RECORDS JAPAN)

Upcoming Album Spring/Summer 2010 (Nacional Records)

www.nacionalrecords.com/artists/monareta

Audio

Video

PICOTERO PROMOCLIP

Photo Gallery

  • SPIN

  • MONARETA AT SOBs

  • FONTANA'S

  • PICOTERO

  • LONDRES

Press

  • MASHED NOTES FROM COLOMBIA [+ Show ]

    By Jim Farber The snaking melody takes its cues from Colombian cumbia music, while the snapping r...

  • MONARETA TIME OUT NY [+ Show ]

    By Steve Dollar Bogotá comes to Brooklyn on Picotero, the American debut by the Colombian duo nam...

  • WHEELS AND DEALS [+ Show ]

    By RUPERT BOTTENBERG It’s a splendid coincidence that Colombian-bred, Brooklyn-based duo Monareta...

  • HELLO BOGOTA! [+ Show ]

    http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A756521 Live Shots SXSW showcase r...

  • NINE TO WATCH IN '09 [+ Show ]

    http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/01/11/nine_to_watch_in_09/ From Brooklyn to Tennesse...

  • THE NEW SOUND OF COLOMBIA [+ Show ]

    by James Klein Monareta is the new sound of Colombia. The Colombian duo throws Picotero, their fi...

  • MONARETA PICOTERO ON GLOBAL NOIZE [+ Show ]

    Download the free mp3 "Llama" from Monareta's album Picoreto Here Buy Monareta music on itunes ...

  • MONARETA PICOTERO CLUB FONOGRAMA [+ Show ]

    By Carlos Reyes Picotero is as fun and unexpected as Coconot’s Cosa Astral, but spicier, and as c...

  • MONARETA PICOTERO [+ Show ]

    By Hilda Gabriela Colombian natives Andrés Martínez and Camilo Sanabria have crossed over to the ...

  • THE ALCHEMISTS [+ Show ]

    By Lissette Corsa Musica The alchemists Inspired by extreme sports, the streets and all sor...

Setlist

One hour set to two hour set.

"Llama"
"Break Tocaima"
"Tropibar"
"Watch Out"
"Expreso Duitama"
"Raimundo Llevate al Mundo"
"Todo el Voltaje Ya"
"Matanza Funk"

Basic Requirements

Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.