In 2009, a time where dance music was rarely heard on the radio and at sporting events, a fusion genre emerged from the underground.
Washington D.C. has been credited for being the birthplace of Moombahton, a blend of house music and reggaeton. At the time, Dave Nada was spinning at small events and house parties; by slowing down the BPM (beats per minute) of a house track from the typical 128 BPM all the way to 108 BPM, a cornerstone of the genre was formed. Its empty cracks were then filled with heavy bass and Dancehall style percussion.
Moombahton then erupted 2 years later, being pushed into the limelight by artists like Dillon Francis, Diplo, Alvin Risk, Skrillex, and more. Today, mainstream dance music has unfortunately been squeezed down to simple genres: either big-room electro house or simply trap. From complextro to drum & bass, there\’s no arguing that many genres have been disregarded due to the demand for other main-stage genres; Moombahton is unfortunately no exception to that.
Fortunately, for the die-hard Moombahton fans, there are still a few pioneers pushing it further. Producers like Munchi have shown us the quirkier side to the genre, sampling funny vocals and creating bouncy beats. Recently, a new name has been popping up on DJ set-lists all over the music grounds.
Miami based DJ Happy Colors definitely has put himself on the map; with free releases of his remixes and original tracks, his SoundCloud has become a heaven for Moombahton lovers. This new tune comes from a collaboration with Hammo Sung. Calle Es Calle takes a step back from the typical 108 BPM Moombahton style and experiments with a slower tempo.
Being Hispanic, I absolutely love Moombahton. The drum beats remind me of some of my old favorite reggaeton tracks, plus the influence of other genres in modern dance really make it appealing. Keep an eye out for Moombahton to sizzle again this summer; in the meantime, download this massive tune here.
