As we’ve mentioned, this time around the underground dance scene extends far beyond the traditional berlin/detroit access. The sleek sound has seduced pockets of fanatics in all corners of the world, and none holds more promise than the South American sound.

Headed up by Luciano, German transplant Uwe Schmidt, the golden girl Miss Dinky, worshipped Chilean émigré Ricardo Villalobos and others, Patagonica integrates techno with the shuffling bounce and lilting cadence of Latin American beats.

What is brilliant about the new sound (in Chile, Argentina and, well, worldwide), is what we know of, and what we have heard of, is influencing a new generation of beatmakers. There are gazillions of new kids coming up, laptop in hand, sodering iron in the other, who are following the design of these luminaries. And who knows how good those kids’ll be.

In the meantime, it is the internet, so sites like Buenos Aliens and Loop are just a click away. Thank goodness.

One star of the sound came out in full effect at the trend-setting Mutek festival: Pier Bucci. Bucci DJed with electronic music godhead Luciano at the fantastic Piknic Electronik in Montreal (it’s electronic music Sunday in the park on the riverbank. Marvelous).

Bucci comes from the Patagonica sound and has released a number of 12s and remixes. He is also a member of the Monne Automne duo with Luciano, and plays with Mambotur. Vinyls so hot they start to warp in the racks. Seek them out.

sQuare was fortunate to get out hands on a live (30 MB) demo of his work. Live as in: live. This music is created as you hear it, and while some sounds are preprogrammed, the setup and sound design are happening in real time. And I guarantee you it is a skill requiring dedication and talent. This aint just pushing buttons.

A sneak peek at live Patagonica.

Pier Bucci - "Live Demo"

To be sure, the documentary we are making here at sQuare productions does not revolve around a certain type of electronic music (like, say, the exquisite microhouse of Montreal/Mutek), but rather the different communities which are developing and the sounds those communities are supporting, as well. Like electro-house.

Electro-house is a fevered, ecstatic 4/4 sound that is as dynamic as rock, as pulsing as Chicago acid house and usually ropes in vocals, shouts or other exuberance. So tagged because in incorporates the digitalis of electro (the vocoders, the acid beats, the booty bass) with the boompty-boomp. It’s pretty much what I play out, and what US producers are starting to glom onto. And with good reason.

The scenes developing around this type of sound include communities like BPitch Control, and figures like Erol Alkan, and Damian Lazarus. There are a few duos as well like Tiefschwarz and the whole reason for this post: Simian Mobile Disco.

Turns out, Simian Mobile Disco is playing in Boston (well, Cambridge, but whatever) this Thursday. We’ll be sending out the details about the show via the sQuare productions email list tomorrow.

In the meantime, you can find an exclusive mix inside the picture above, or here. And here’s a track which was featured on our promotional, handmade 2CD set sQuare sound II.

It goes "1!… 2!… 3!… 4!"

Simian Mobile Disco - "The Count"