In Ecuador, the Andes with an electro beat

View from elsewhere 29.09.2021

A small, discreet country, nestled between turbulent Colombia and immense Peru, Ecuador nevertheless boasts - and its musicians, both amateur and professional, never miss an opportunity to point this out - a musical diversity as rich as that of its neighbours: the Creole music of the Esmeralda region in the north, on the Colombian border; the rhythms and songs of the depths of the "Silva", the Amazon; the folklore of the Andean highlands, on the central cordillera; the music and dances of the coast, from San Lorenzo to Guayaquil. 

If traditional music occupies a central place on the artistic scene and in musical education, experimental music is not to be outdone by a young, committed and effervescent electro scene which, since 2006, has had its own annual event, recognised throughout the South American continent and the Latin sphere; this year the red carpet is being rolled out under the feet of Ecuadorian artists, but also musicians and performers from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay...

Because Rotofest is a pioneer in Ecuador. It is the July meeting point for electro musicians and artists who embrace music, design and new technologies. This major event of the Ecuadorian experimental and independent scene takes place in Cuenca, the country's third largest city - behind Quito, the capital, and Guayaquil, the large port city in the south - and in several natural sites in the Azuay region. Cuenca, a city of colonial architecture and a major cultural centre, is also known as the "Athens of Ecuador". An Athens that is as much about heritage (the city has one of the country's four major symphony orchestras) as it is about the music of today and tomorrow.  

Electro music - with a large number of DJ sets - but also new musical comedy, electronic dance and independent music, with several rock concerts each year. This festival, the only one of its kind in Ecuador, takes the pulse of the electronic culture, experimental music and digital creation panorama. The event is, moreover, largely supported by the Ministry of Culture. Public support that is not taken for granted in Ecuador...

Due to the pandemic, the 2021 edition did not experience the usual fever: the DJ sets, filmed without an audience, were broadcast on the internet. A virtual festival entitled, for the occasion, "Timeless edition", which was spread over two weekends (17 and 18, then 24 and 25 July).

The Rotofest, which celebrated its 15th edition this summer, is now a must in the international circuit of electronic and experimental music festivals. A South American event that is increasingly popular with artists from all over the world. In 2022, the Ecuadorian festival will welcome, among others, the Australian DJ Marlie and the German DJ Mathias Kaden.

Check out the highlights of previous editions on the Rotofest Soundcloud page! 

Suzanne Gervais in Ecuador

Related

buy twitter accounts
betoffice