More of that cumbia heat from our favorite new label. Their debut release having quickly evaporated, Cali's Bersa Discos is back for round two with another limited single (1,000 copies, no repress-o). This time they've got Buenos Aires young gunna DJ Negro at the fore, putting a new spin on some true Colombian classics. Negro is a regular at the notorious club Zizek (recently spotted killing it with DJ/rupture and others) but this 12" represents his "official" debut. On the A-side, he sets things off with "Andres Landero vs. The Roockie(1)," a tuff mash featuring Screwed vocals from the cumbia legend and Luny beats. "Lluvia(2)" keeps more of traditional cumbia sound, dubbed out in all the right places, while "Mundo Querido(3)" comes with hard raps over a dark and stormy beat that brings to mind "This Is Why I'm Hot." Meanwhile on the flip, Bersa label head Oro11's "Pibes Walk Out(4)" injects some Dirty South into the proceedings, dusting a little of Unk's "Walk It Out" over "Que Calor" by Pibes Chorros (arguably the biggest 'cumbia villera' - gangster cumbia - band ever). Alex Pasternak of much hyped SF band Lemonade seals the deal with the midtempo bumper "Pajariton(5)." Definitely recommended.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red