Buraka Som Sistema

Buraka Som Sistema is an electronic music project from Portugal, generally credited with creating progressive kuduro.

BSS was founded in 2006 by João Barbosa (Li'l John), Rui Pité (DJ Riot), Andro Carvalho (Conductor) and Kalaf Ângelo. Barbosa and Pité were producers from the Cool Train Crew collective, for which Kalaf was a frequent vocal collaborator. They met Carvalho, a hip-hop producer from Angola and member of the hip-hop band Conjunto Ngonguenha, while he was in Portugal. Their first release was From Buraka to the World, an EP released on the Portuguese label Enchufada, which include the single "Yah!", featuring vocals from Angolan hip-hop MC Petty. It was followed by another Petty vocalized track, "Wawaba", and a re-release of From Buraka to the World, expanded to full album.

After touring in several European countries, including playing at the Glastonbury Festival and Roskilde Festival, the three producers released "Sound of Kuduro" in 2007, which features rapping by M.I.A., DJ Znobia, Saborosa and Puto Prata. The track was a precursor to their second album, Black Diamond, which was released in 2008 by Sony BMG, followed by a new single, "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)", with vocals by Pongolove.

Buraka Som Sistema won the 2008 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Portuguese Act and were nominated for Best European Act. Produced by DJ Riot, Lil’John (Cooltrain Crew/Enchufada) and Conductor (Conjunto Ngonguenha), with Kalaf as MC. Their newest album is Black Diamond.

Maluca

Born in the Bronx and raised in Manhattan by Dominican parents, Maluca is that increasingly rare bird-a downtown girl who brings together the classic cool, glamour, grit and passion of New York City in an instant! After meeting Diplo at a karaoke bar, the two starting working together resulting in her debut single "El Tigeraso" (coming via Mad Decent), an infectious track that draws on her Dominican electro Merengue roots. Maluca had her first public perfomance at the SXSW FADER fort and tore the roof off with a short set that showcased her wide range of influences - from artists such as ESG, Savannah Band, Wu-Tang, Gil Scott Heron, Nina Simone to styles like Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, House, Disco, and Freestyle. Keep your eyes open and platanos peeled for the self proclaimed "1/2 dominican 1/2 Pain in the ass."

DJ Geko Jones (Que Bajo?!)

Geko Jones is a Brooklyn-based Puerto-lombian DJ/Producer and Vibe Springer. He is a founding member of both the New York Tropical and Que Bajo?! party franchises in New York. He is also a partner and co-owner of the Dutty Artz record label with producer Matt Shadetek and DJ /Rupture. His mixes span the tropical hemispheres and collage together globally sonic hours of dancefloor mayhem. Renowned by top DJ's and producers of the digital cumbia scene in Latin America and European bass-pundits alike, Jones is one of the select few DJ's pushing forward the Latin agenda in a world wide tropical bass scene. The past five years have found him sharing a booth or collaborating with a long roster of A-list globalistas like Uproot Andy, Jahdan Blakkamoore, Soot Records, Stereotyp, Radioclit, ZZK, Maluca, Dub War, Toy Selectah and more. Whether it's tearing the roof off an outdoor festival, getting the crowd bubbling on an illegal boat party in Bushwick, conjuring up the next great underground sound, or racking up airmiles from Brooklyn to Bogota, Geko Jones commands the dancefloor.... a Guarachar! In September 09, you can catch me and my partner on tour as Que Bajo invades North and South America.