Auditory Umami – Tittsworth & Alvin Risk Two Strokes Raw EP Review

Born in D.C., bred worldwide was the tagline of an NPR based article on the origin of the electronic musical phenomenon known as, Moombahton. It exploded onto the DC scene last year and before it had legs to walk became an international sensation, that quickly had some of EDM’s most-influential producers, DJ’s, and radio shows playing a genre created by DC native, Dave Nada. But this article isn’t about Dave Nada; this is about two DJ’s from the DMV (District, MD, VA) that are adding their contribution to this burgeoning genre of Latin-based world music. Enter Jesse Tittsworth and Alvin Risk.

Go-Go, HarDCore, and Moombahton all call The District home, with exception to HarDCore that shares tri-citizenship with Boston and Los Angeles respectively, the other two are indigenous to the area. But, Go-Go and the D.I.Y. ethos of HarDCore didn’t have the benefit of the technology age to help its imperialism spread the Gospel of Moombahton. Using the many advantages of the blogosphere, social media websites, and tastemakers worldwide, this style of music has come a long way from a high school skip-party in Maryland to the thousands of inspired tracks, events, and DJ’s that have put gasolina in the Molotov Cocktail that has spawned itself over the globe; minus the polar ice caps. If a DJ/scientist did bring this music there, Moombah-warming would melt that shit, Al Gore would be president and a new style of Moombahton would be created: Moombah-Melt.

DJ, producer, club owner, and exotic food eater Jesse Tittsworth alongside his “socio en el crimen” Alvin Risk, have added their spice to this musical chorizo with their anticipated release of their EP, Two Strokes Raw. At 17-minutes and four tracks on the effort it is just enough for people in all countries to band together and demand a full-length endeavor from these two. Funny enough, both of these musicians don’t spin, mix, or produce Moombahton exclusively. Tittsworth is known for his rave inspired, Baltimore Club-themed anthems, and Risk has a penchant for a more varied style of electronica that evokes themes of Alternative, Electro, Pop, and Dance.

Listening to Moombahton and going to a Moombathon party are two completely different experiences. By listening to TSR and seeing the tracks spun in a live-format with a few hundred close friends, is like comparing Chicharon, to an American pork rind. Let me explain. Combining elements of Dutch House, Reggaeton, Cumbia, Bachata, etc. going to a well-run Moombahton party, is like being a piñata, in a Medellin riot during the days of Escobar. One of the first tracks I remember hearing Titts drop in his sets at U Hall (He’s part owner) and recorded mixes, was the club banger “Pendejas”. Kicked off by a thumping riddem, accompanied by stutter like breaths that builds to a fever pitch, ushering in the low-end vocals, bellowing out the title of the song. When the drop in Pendejas comes, make damn sure you are standing by the walls or the air raid-like synths will drive the crowd into a torrid, sweaty frenzy that will be throwing their hands and their drinks in the air with reckless disregard. I feel that this is the strongest track of the release that would be the easiest to show someone that isn’t familiar with the genre, and re-enforcing the elements of what makes a Moombahton track bang.

My favorite track on the effort comes from the collaboration with NYC/Dominican artist, Maluca. “La Campana” starts in similar fashion to “Pendejas”, with a slow, drum-step intro, breath-pauses, moving into a dreamy, surreal-sounding hook sung by the Mad Decent songstress. Fueling that fire, the beat builds into a drop that sounds like The Rapture was scored by scorching, synthesizer’s and high-pitched bass notes made to trigger air raid sirens from Sao Paulo to San Antonio. Living-legend and Baltimore DJ Scottie B lends himself to “Carta Boost”, which incorporates the genre’s trademark screeching synths, and use of random noises. In this case, a phone that’s been placed off its hook, and distorted vocals to move the track along in a wavy-like progression that moves in-between hyper and a simple, thumping rhythm. “Porcacheese” uses all of the aforementioned elements, but adds a nod back to the rave/drum n bass genre of music with a distorted bass line that sounds like a legion of motorcycles revving their engines, with a herd of angry elephants in tow.

Now that you know a little about Mooombahton, Tittsworth/Alvin Risk, and the elements that comprise this synchronous, yet unbridled, no-holds-bard cacophony of sound, go out and support these musicians that are shedding light to gringos and gringas around the world.