Bruha Delivers the Sound of Mexican Techno
Duro is a newly launched imprint based in Mexico, specializing in articulating “tough feelings” through music. Thus, when veteran DJ/producer Jorge Sánchez from Xochimilco, Mexico, returned from a stay with Zen monks near Mexico City and wanted to artistically display the impact of his recent experience, he turned to the label. The result is the Chon Lennon EP via his Bruha alias. The release features the thumping techno track “Calzon Tennis Nuevos,” and between the hauntingly whispered vocals, spacey synths and chilling atmospherics, this is a dark groove that warps, sweeps and spirals into a listener’s deepest subconscious. The snapping breaks invite listeners to the dancefloor. When the track’s entertaining groove melds with its decidedly introspective bent, it becomes a heavy and bizarre ride of a production.
Available now, the Chon Lennon EP from Bruha is the debut release from Duro.
Not many working-class citizens in Mexico can afford laptops and internet access, not to mention music production technologies and gear. Growing up in Mexico, what sort of access did you have to technology?
Everything is easier thanks to the internet, from getting the stuff (gear) to knowing how to use it (software), if you have the money to buy it.
Personally, I think it’s more about time management, because if you decide to work and earn some money, you have to do it all day. When you get home at the end of the day, all you want to do is rest, and you probably don’t have the energy or time to work on your project.
I decided to work for a season, to save money and buy a used computer, borrow some pedals, a mic and a synth, buy a controller, and start working full-time on my project.
In what ways did your stay with the Zen monks influence you artistically? Where you already producing music when you went to visit the monks?
I am someone who loves to listen to all kinds of music. My master at the moment asked me, “What is the thing that fills you the most in this life?” The answer was obvious to me: music. While meditating, I realized I had a friend who lives near my house. He used to play the bass, but he never used it; so when I left the monks, the first thing I did was ask my friend if he could lend me his bass. I started practicing by myself and fell more in love with music, and years later I bought the computer.
What, if anything, did you discover in yourself during your stay with the monks?
To keep meditating and realizing if I work enough, I can afford my own project and buy my gear. Keep focus on what I want, keep believing in myself, and keep trying.
You have a diverse taste in influences, from Boards of Canada to Gus Gus. In what ways does your musical taste in electronic music combine with your cultural upbringing in Mexico?
Here in Mexico, we love music. It’s like some kind of religion, and everyone has their own favorite genre. It’s really diverse, from cumbia or salsa to black metal. With the passing of time, there are more places for each genre or for each person. For me, friends and close people—and the music they hear and share with me—is a great influence on what I like and do.
Where do you see the Mexican electronic music scene going in the next 5 years?
Growing, innovating and dancing.
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