An incredible DJ’s repute is constructed on their curation capabilities, and Peruvian-born, Berlin-based Sofia Kourtesis is aware of how you can assemble an unforgettable dance expertise. Her debut album ‘Madres’ cements her place as a daring and artful producer of house-infused dancefloor heaters. It maintains the jubilant, familial, story-led fashion of its predecessor, her 2021 breakout EP ‘Fresia Magdalena’, but in addition supplies listeners with an added layer of emotional vulnerability.
The title monitor and album opener units the precedent for what’s to return. It has uneven vocal samples weaved by a high-octane, synth-driven blissful melody, and appears like summer time repackaged for the chilly clubbing season forward. ‘How Music Makes You Really feel Higher’ and ‘Habla Con Ella’ preserve this vibrant vibe, providing funky synths, deeply textured cuts and an overarching sense of euphoria.
The joyous sonics mirror the overwhelming sense of optimism on the album’s centre. Kourtesis has devoted ‘Madres’ to her mom in addition to Peter Vajkoczy, a famend neurosurgeon who helped save her mom’s life after a most cancers analysis. Vajkoczy turned such a detailed pal that the DJ-producer even took him to fabled Berlin nightclub Berghain. One other album monitor, ‘Funkhaus’, is an ode to a different Berlin membership that’s almost as notorious. Laced with a racing drum sample and hypnotic vocal stylings, it captures the darkish however inviting spirit that provides the German metropolis its sonic identification.
Throughout the album, Kourtesis doesn’t simply have fun Berlin, but in addition embraces the total vary of her cultural roots – in addition to her political accountability as a musician. ‘Estación Esperanza’, a single she dropped in 2022 that takes satisfaction of place right here, opens with audio samples of an anti-homophobia protest in Peru. This monitor additionally tastefully samples the melodic hums of Manu Chao’s ‘Me Gustas Tu’, which harks again to Kourtesis’ knack for sampling in her earlier works. Maybe most notably, her 2020 monitor ‘Morninga’ cleverly weaves in components of The Supremes’ ‘Come See About Me’.
In the meantime, closing tracks ‘Cecilia’ and ‘El Carmen’ pay tribute to the South American communities which have impressed Kourtesis artistically. ‘Cecilia’ has reverb-washed vocal samples and a pulsating four-to-the-floor beat, whereas ‘El Carmen’ centres Afro-Peruvian sonics. All of it comes collectively to make ‘Madres’ a real love letter to the numerous, invigorating sounds which have formed Kourtesis.
Particulars
- Launch date: October 27
- File label: Ninja Tune
