JBravo
Mendo celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the original ‘La Krika’, taken from 2013’s ‘Avalon’ album, with a February update raising the temperature for all those wanting a holiday hot streak. It’s part of a bigger celebration, Clarisse celebrating its 20th birthday with the label head – and all round king of making things happen in house circles – remixing his favourite and most sought after tracks.
On 2023’s ‘La Krika’ retouch, Mendo recalibrates the weight and arrangement of the drums, conducting a circle of percussionists all in tune – and heaviness of the bass – thick yet supple in moving the track along. Both set the tone for an open air session with no curfew – nothing’s gonna confine this one to a backroom or minor stage – with Mendo seeing to a midrange, seesaw of a riff with a touch of old skool ‘French Kiss’ to it. Adding brief but slick piano fills with some French Touch/Crico Castelli in mind, both elements are minding their own business but get to the front of the party, providing the sort of addictive sensation that served the original so well.
Now for the vocals: still coming through a battered radio via the World Service, still sounding like a chatty taxi driver delivering you to the club from the airport, and the big night out being as such that he still wants to get into the spirit of things as well. The new and improved ‘La Krika’ is the perfect blend of tribal and Latin house styles, and cause for much celebration.
Artist: Mendo
Title: La Krika 2023
Label: Clarisse Records
Release Date: 2023-02-17
– jbravo
Juany Bravo
Managing Editor
jbravo@musicis4lovers.com
