“From the beginning I knew I was referencing a music style that links to Latin America more than anywhere else,” says Iten. “I never had any illusions that Australian people would understand what this music is. It’s not only Latin American, but very African too. It sits outside what you’d listen to on the radio here. It’s not just world music or salsa or anything we’re familiar with in Australia, and because of that, there wasn’t any way to rely on anything here and it was all focused on the international scene.
“It’s a bit harder in Australia as I think electronic music is not very broad in this country when compared to Europe or abroad. What is here is great, but compared to a place like Germany, the Czech Republic or the rest of Europe, they have so many directions you can go in in terms of electronic music. If someone comes in and mixes it with Latin American styles, nobody is going to bat an eyelid. That said, the only commercial festival that we’ve ever done in Australia was Big Day Out, which had a Mexican theme early on around 2010 as just a one off. Other than that, we’ve been totally ignored in Australia – but I don’t really care. Overseas, people love what we do.”
Iten first made his mark overseas back when Myspace was the world’s most popular social media platform. Nowadays Myspace seems rather antiquated, particularly compared to the likes of Facebook and Soundcloud, but Iten’s networking methods weren’t much different to the current norm.
“It’s happened because I’ve been going to Europe on my own,” he says. “The first time touring started by contacting people via Myspace. I started [Cumbia Cosmonauts] before Facebook and Soundcloud existed, which sounds like ages ago but it was only 2007-2008. I used Myspace as a way to connect with other DJs and other producers who worked with this experimental Cumbia sound. They were all outside Australia, mainly in Latin America and in Europe as well. When I went to Europe, I decided just to go to play there. I’d contacted various DJs via Myspace. Some of them got back to me and they were like ‘Cool,’ and offered me residency spots or bigger gigs supporting artists in Europe, and it sort of just mushroomed from there. That’s still how I do most of my touring and collaborations, via Facebook.
“It’s easier because there’s so much social media,” he adds. “Facebook, Soundcloud – and while Myspace has disappeared, it’s all improved from there. Once you physically go there after making contact via the Internet and start associating with people of the same niche, with that physical connection it gets easier every time.”
As a result of his extensive global connections, Cumbia Cosmonauts signed with Berlin-based label Chusma Records soon after releasing the 500% Cumbia Mixtape in 2010. This has let them tap into a rich overseas market, who’ve been gobbling up their Latin America/Afro electronic fusion ever since.
“I contacted them saying I’m keen to go to Berlin, would you guys be able to offer a gig? They agreed. They offered me a night, which turned into two or three nights – that was the first time I’d DJed. I usually go on my own for the DJ set and then return with the band if it’s worth going back. That’s been my approach from the beginning.”
BY THOMAS BRAND
