Remixed – Yelfris Valdés: For The Ones

Cuban artist, composer and trumpet player Yelfris Valdés once again joins forces with Jazz FM Resident Tim
Garcia’s label Música Macondo, inviting an impressive roster of producers to remix and reinterpret a selection of
the LP’s standout tracks. His 2019 debut LP ‘For The One’s’ saw Yelfris delving deep into his Yoruba religion and its shamanic chants, subtly infusing those deeply personal elements with electronica and live instrumentation creating a beautiful pulsating soundscape. In purposefully mutating the acoustic sound of his trumpet he adds depth without losing his power and tenderness. Manifesting an adventurous and experimental shift in his composition, drawing on his classical training and love of jazz whilst at the same time delving further into the world of electronica. With the LP’s cosmos-weaving trumpet melodies, fuzzy keys and psychedelic textures at their disposal, Quantic, K15, LCSM, Osunlade, Maxwell Owin, Contours repurpose and rework some of the album’s key moments, bringing an injection of dancefloor – friendly sensibilities to the proceedings.

Tim Garcia explains ‘It was a lot of fun putting this remix EP together with Yelfris, I wanted to pick artists that would respect the music and Yelfris’ compositions but bring a whole new dimension to it, I’m really happy with how it turned out, being able to work with so many of my favourite producers on this has been a bit of a dream.” Kicking off the record, Yoruba Records head honcho Osunlade is first to step the plate – delivering a deep and percussive take of ‘After Sly’. Next up, Quantic takes first single “Aceleyo Aña” into new and unexplored territories, utilising space bending arpeggios and astral synths alongside a heavily swung rhythmsection. Manchester’s Contours transforms Gnawa influenced “Maktub” into a moment of peak time introspection with an icy, early Chicago house edge.

Check out the Quantic Remix here:

On the flip, Tim opted for remixers who “capture that Broken/Bruk London feel”. Starting in fine form, K15 blends
shimmering keys and a shuffling beat with the euphoric vocals and trumpet melodies of his bruk-infused take on
second single ‘Ancestry’. Joining the proceedings, South London’s Maxwell Owin sharpens his amen chops on a twisting, abstract jungle soundscape version of “Worlds” before IG Culture’s LCSM brings their unmistakable, brass-led, syncopated stylings to the 12”s closing track “Full Moon”. With this offering, Yelfris’ incredible musicianship is re-contextualised for a new audience, making itself right at home on the dancefloors of the world. Same, same, but different. On the record, Yelfris himself says: ‘It is such an honour to have these incredible electronic artists remixing my album For The Ones..the tracks have definitely taken a whole new dimension. I Hope this remix EP brings you as much fun and excitement as it does to me.’

Verdict: An audio pleasure from start to finish. Top notch remixes from artists that have woven their own styles perfectly around the source materials. The remixes are so well crafted, you would be forgiven for thinking the original parts may have been re-recorded to compliment the new compositions, such is the harmony between the two. Tim Garcia and Yelfris wanted to “pick artists that would respect the music and bring a whole new dimension to it”, they accomplished both, and much, much more.

Tracklist

A1: After Sly (Osunlade/Yoruba Soul Mix)
A2: Aceleyo Aña (Quantic Remix)
A3: Maktub (Contours Remix)
B1: Ancestry (K15 Remix)
B2: Worlds (Maxwell Owin Trying Times Mix)
B3: Full Moon (Likwid Continual Space Motion Remix)

‘For The Ones (Remixed)’ will be released on June 4th 2021 on 12” Vinyl / Digital Formats via Música

Macondo Records