Blending British Electronic With Latin Folk Sounds
A conversation with Robin Perkins aka El Búho.
Photo Courtesy: El Búho.
Robin Perkins, also known as El Búho, has always had a fascination for languages and culture. So much he studied languages and Latin American studies in the UK. He majored in Brazilian folk music, which allowed him to do a year abroad in Argentina and travel up to Colombia: it was then when he discovered Latin folk music and the variety of sounds in it.
For the past 3 years he has been living in Paris, but before that he spent 2 years in Mexico working for Green Peace and creating music. “I moved because I had a kid, I am now a part of a group of DJ Dads, that’s what we call ourselves, there’s a few of us”. He jokes.
“When I was a kid I was fascinated by Spain and as I grew up I discovered Latin America and was blown away by the richness and diversity of the culture: nature, language, history”.
When creating his mixes what he takes most from Cumbia is the rhythm. “I make electronic music at the speed of traditional Cumbia.” He says. Growing up in Northern England surrounded by nature and having studied in Glasgow, where there is a massive alternative electronic scene; he spent his University years visiting underground clubs and getting submerged in the culture of it. “British folk music hasn’t influenced me, but Electronic has, kind of dub and reggae. So what I do is a mix of electronic British music, with Cumbia rhythm and nature sounds.” He says.
When you talk about Cumbia it is practically impossible not to bring dancing into the conversation. “My friends in Mexico tried to teach me how to dance but I could never do it. There is a different groove to it, Latinos and Europeans move differently and it is very noticeable to see in the crowd who is from where and even figure out who has lived abroad.” He explains.
As we move the conversation into gigs and playing live, Robin jokes he doesn’t want to talk about it that much because he misses it as he hasn’t been able to play live since the pandemic broke. The response he gets from the crowd changes from place to place. “Sometimes I play at clubs in Europe at 3 am and it is very different from what they are used to, they are expecting this fast-paced music and it takes time to switch the brain. It’s music that takes you out of your comfort zone.” He explains. “I often get put up in lineups with hard electronic or house music and people always question why it is so slow until they start getting it, at the end of the show sometimes they come up and say — wow man, that was like a journey”. He says.
His favorite show ever was a very unexpected one in Cholula, Puebla in Mexico. “I had no expectations and the response of the crowd was like nothing I have ever experienced before, the vibe was just incredible.” He says while smiling and reliving the moment in his head.
His latest record, Ramas, was released at the end of March this year. It came about as an organic collection of collaborations with artists from 12 countries. “It was a challenge to make something different, especially when you make a track with someone you have never met and you don’t have the chance to get in the studio together. We were sending mixes back and forth through the email and when I heard the final result I just thought — Wow, I never would’ve done this, but why not?” Robin says.
Photo Courtesy: El Búho.
Out of the three albums he has released, his second one “Camino de Flores” is his favorite. “It was an album that just happened, I wasn’t planning on making it or releasing it but I ended up with a bunch of tracks that make sense together and they still feel relevant to me”. However, his most successful track to this point has been Cenotes, part of the first EP he put out in Mexico.
The future looks busy for El Búho “I have an EP coming out the first week of October, which was a project made for a book an author of The New York Times is publishing about the Ocean and the criminalities related to it.” He tells me. “A bunch of artists have taken a chapter and created a song; I’ve done one on deep exploration and oil drilling with crazy sounds, it is called Aguas Profundas”. He is also working on a new album for next year which will be composed of 10 tracks inspired by imagined journeys. “Like not being able to travel but having the music take you to different places around the world”.
As we were getting ready to say goodbye something popped into my mind, I felt that the whole conversation was leading to this point. So what’s the purpose of your music then? “I don’t know, that’s a very good question.” He says. “I often make music because it’s an expression. The best art comes from just inspiration and from what you want to put out in the world. The more you overthink it, the less sense it makes and it turns into something cheesy. People usually tell me what the purpose is and most of the time it is something related to spirituality or ancestral medicine music, which is weird because I am not spiritual and I don’t connect with that world at all but I think it has to do with the fact that folk music and nature sounds have a spiritual and ancestral aspect to them. I listen to spiritual music and I think it’s cheesy so maybe they overthinking it.”
El Búho’s music is made out of opposites and maybe, just maybe that is the reason why it is so relatable to everyone.