Carrying the torch of psychedelic cumbia, with a healthy dose of surf guitar and Amazonian dancefloor flourishes from Peru and Brazil alike, Fiesta en la Jungla by Los Dexter’s de Uchiza is the first release from the newly formed London-label Ritmo del Barrio.
Originally released in 1982, it captures the finest cumbia being made in Peru at the time, decked out with frenetic surf-rock guitar riffs, rhythms floating on crisp cumbia percussion and occasionally punctuated by carimbó breakdowns. The album is filled with energy, a gem that was always intended to animate any dancefloor.
Reissued on vinyl for the first time by Ritmo del Barrio, this record is essential for any collector of Peruvian cumbia. Showcasing the unique sound of Los Dexter’s, it carries hits like “Fuga en la Selva” and “El Shiringuero”, which are sure to set any dancefloor on fire, combined with slower, carimbó-infused cumbias like “Fiesta en la Jungla,” and “Agua de Cachilde”. Its closing track, “Tragedia en Uchiza'', is a key piece of local history and tells of the flooding of the Chontayacu River in 1982, a mortal tragedy that affected thousands of people.
