Guitarist and singer Gio Chamba, 28, got turned onto digital Cumbia music a few years ago. and knew right away that he wanted to start making the unique style of music himself. While Cumbia is a traditional style of Latin American folkloric music that blends together African, indigenous and European sounds, Chamba’s highly danceable digital version adds in electronic beats. “I’ve always liked hip-hop and urban music and electronic music, so it kind of just felt natural to mix all of that together,” says the Houston native, who released a self-titled album in 2015. This month, he releases his sophomore effort called Tejas, an 8-track album he worked on with the late Selena’s nephew, producer and DJ Principe Q. While his first album featured mostly voiceless tracks, the new record is more lyric-heavy, less EDM-oriented. A performance at Karbach Brewery on May 21 kicks off a summer tour.
Chamba’s eclectic, groovy style echoes the fun sounds of his multicultural music.
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