The Best of Columbian Psychedelic Rock

Looking for some good Columbian psychedelic rock? Then check out this blog post, which features some of the best bands and albums from this vibrant genre.

The Sound of Psychedelic Rock

Colombian psychedelic rock, also known as rock Sonia or pyschedelic cumbia, is a rock music genre that originated in Colombia during the late 1960s. The genre’s sound is characterized by electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, and percussion, often played at high volumes with extensive use of feedback and distortion.

The Electric guitars

The electric guitars are the defining instrument of psychedelic rock. The genre is built around distortion and feedback, and the electric guitar is the best tool for creating those sounds. The most common configuration is a solid body guitar with two or three pickups, a tremolo arm, and a Floyd Rose-style locking nut. This setup allows for a wide range of sounds, from clean and jangly to heavily distorted and psychedelic.

While the electric guitar is the most important instrument in psychedelic rock, it is not the only one. Bass, drums, and keyboards all play a role in creating the unique sound of this genre. Psychedelic rock often features extended jams, so musicians need to be able to improvise and interact with each other. This interaction is what makes psychedelic rock so special.

The Drums

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is influenced by psychedelic drugs. The music is characterized by extended, heavily distorted guitar solos, lush soundscapes, and unusual sounds. The drums are an important part of psychedelic rock, and they often have a prominent place in the mix.

Psychedelic rock drummers typically use a lot of tom-tom fills and rolls, and they often use cymbals to create a wash of sound. They often employ unconventional song structures, and they frequently use odd time signatures. Many psychedelic rock songs are based around the groove of the drums, rather than the melody of the guitars or vocals.

The Bass

The bass guitar is the foundation of the psychedelic rock sound. It provides the rhythmic pulse that drives the music forward and creates a sense of groove. The best psychedelic basslines are catchy and memorable, with a strong sense of melody. They often make use of delay and reverb to create a spacious, atmospheric sound.

The Artists

Though Colombia has given the world many great things, psychedelic rock is not usually one of them.However, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of Columbian artists created some of the best psychedelic rock ever made. This music is still largely unknown outside of Colombia, but it is finally starting to get the attention it deserves.

Fémina

Fémina is a three-piece band from Bogotá, Colombia. Their sound incorporates elements of traditional Columbian music with psychedelic rock. They have been described as “a 3-headed hydra of hypnotic indie-rock, muscular pop hooks, and contemplative folkloric melancholy.”

The band is composed of sisters Alejandra and Daniela Salgado (vocals, guitars) and their cousin Julian David Mejia (drums). They have released two albums, “Trigonometría” (2012) and “El Futuro” (2015).

Fémina has been compared to such bands as Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, and The National. They have toured extensively in Europe and Latin America, and have performed at festivals such as Lollapalooza, SXSW, and Primavera Sound.

Aterciopelados

If there is one band that represents the richer, more funky side of psychedlic rock in Colombia, it’s Aterciopelados. Lead by the inimitable Andrea Echeverri, theirofi cial website calls them “the best band in the history of Colombia”, and it’s hard to disagree. They play a style of music that is a unique blend of traditional Colombian rhythms with rock, punk, ska, and reggae, and their lyrics are often socially and politically charged. Their most famous album is ‘Oye’ from 2001, which was nominated for a Grammy award.

Bomba Estéreo

Bomba Estéreo (Spanish for “Stereo Bomb”) is a Colombian band formed in 2006[1] in Bogotá. The band’s music is a mix of electronic cumbia and hip hop.

The band was created by Simón Mejía (bass, programming, vocals). Mejía had been a part of the ’90s underground music scene in Bogotá and had toured Europe and the United States as a DJ.[2] He was later joined by Liliana Saumet (lead vocals, percussion), who grew up in Cali and studied classical piano and latin percussion.[1][2] The two met while Mejía was working on his solo project; they bonded over their shared love of traditional Colombian music and decided to form a band.[1]

The band’s name is a play on the Spanish word “bomba,” which means “bomb” or “explosion.”[1][2] This reflects their goal of creating music that would make people move and dance. Their debut album, Ayo, was released in 2009[3] and earned them critical acclaim both domestically and internationally. They have since released two more albums, Elegancia Tropical (2012) and Amanecer (2015), both of which topped Billboard’s Latin Albums chart. In 2016, the band won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album for Amanecer.[4]

Bomba Estéreo has been described as ” Colombia’s most internationally-successful musical export.”[5] Their sound has been compared to that of other latin-influenced electronic bands like Ozomatli, Manu Chao, and Los Amigos Invisibles.[2][6][7] However, the band has said that they are not trying to imitate anyone else’s sound; rather, they are simply making the music that they enjoy.[1][2]

The Legacy

Psychedelic rock first emerged in the mid-1960s and was shaped by the counterculture of the time. The genre is characterized by distorted guitars, lyrics about drug use, and trippy sound effects. Columbian psychedelic rock bands were some of the first to experiment with the genre. Groups like Los Saicos and Los Mutables were influenced by Western bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

The Impact on Other Genres

As well as being hugely influential on other genres of music, Columbian psychedelic rock also had a profound effect on the local music scene. With its experimental nature and use of traditional instrumentation, the style helped to create a new wave of Columbian music that would go on to influence many other artists in the country.

The Influence on Today’s Music

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of rock music that originated in the mid-1960s. The genre is generally characterized by a distorted and trippy sound, as well as introspective and existential lyrics.Psychedelic rock began to lose its mainstream appeal in the early 1970s, but it has continued to influence many subsequent genres, including punk rock, glam metal, and alternative rock.

Psychedelic rock was pioneered by bands such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. These groups experimented with drugs like LSD and used new recording techniques to create a sound that was both mind-expanding and psychedelic. The genre reached its peak of popularity in the 1967 “Summer of Love,” but it began to wane in popularity soon afterward. Nevertheless, psychedelic rock has exerted a significant influence on many subsequent musical styles.

Punk rock is one genre that was directly inspired by psychedelic rock. Punk bands like the Sex Pistols and the Ramones were influenced by the DIY ethic and anti-establishment attitude of 1960s psychedelia. Punk incorporated many of the same musical elements as psychedelic rock, including distorted guitars and purposefully simple song structures. Glam metal, another genre that emerged in the 1970s, was also indebted to psychedelia; bands like Kiss and Alice Cooper borrowed heavily from the trippy visuals and drug-induced excesses of 1960s psychedelia.

More recently, alternative rock groups like Nirvana and Pixies have cited psychedelic rock as an important influence. These bands brought some of the sonic experimentation of psychedelia to a new generation of listeners, helping to keep the legacy of psychedelic rock alive into the 21st century.