Exclusive video premiere of ‘Danza Negra’ by Cemento Atlantico, taken from the upcoming album ‘Dromomania,’ slated for release on June 21, 2024, via Bronson Recordings.

The relentless urge to explore, commonly known as “Wanderlust,” finds its clinical counterpart in “Dromomania.” In contemporary discourse, behaviors and tendencies often find classification within scientific frameworks or pathologies. Is dromomania an act of dissociative escape or an essential facet for enriching one’s experiences? Cemento Atlantico, the electronic project helmed by Italian producer and DJ Alessandro “ToffoloMuzik” Zoffoli from Cesena, embodies the spirit of dromomania, imbuing the present with a deeper significance. His upcoming album, ‘Dromomania,’ slated for release on June 21, 2024, via Bronson Recordings, follows the instant cult classic debut, ‘Rotte Interrotte,’ from 2021.

‘Dromomania’ views music as a communal ritual, offering an international perspective through an intimate, artisanal lens. Rooted in the reinterpretation of traditions within a blend of analog and digital languages, each track begins with field recordings—not mere sonic mementos, but narratives in their own right. These recordings endeavor to honor diverse cultures, sharing emotionally resonant stories enhanced by robust beats. ‘Dromomania’ presents a diverse yet cohesive fusion of house, future garage, post-dubstep, and world music.

The forthcoming single, ‘Danza negra,’ available digitally on June 7th, metamorphoses the indigenous “danza negra” of Monimbó, Nicaragua, into an electro-dance explosion infused with ethno-pop melodies. A symphony of sound poetry, enigmatic masks, tribal percussion, and the haunting melodies of a marimba by the lagoon’s edge converge in a celebration of freedom, drawing inspiration from the shores of Laguna de Apoyo. The track incorporates excerpts from poet Alfonso Cortés, revered by the F.S.L.N. revolutionaries.

Key to Nicaragua’s cultural tapestry are Masaya and the adjacent Laguna de Apoyo, the latter nestled within a volcanic crater known as the “mouth of hell.” This lagoon served as a sanctuary for the ancient inhabitants of present-day Monimbó, the renowned district of Masaya, where the initial thrust for Nicaragua’s liberation with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (F.S.L.N.) took root. The indigenous people of Monimbó, donning their distinctive sieve masks, crafted homemade bombs and danced the “danza negra” as a form of resistance—a ritual born during colonial times in response to Spanish invader-inflicted indignities.

Reflecting on ‘Danza negra,’ Cemento Atlantico remarks, “In just a few minutes, I sought to encapsulate the history of the beloved ‘Danza negra’ of Masaya. During my time in Nicaragua, Masaya welcomed me with rare warmth—mere months before the turbulent revolution against President Daniel Ortega in 2018. It was there that I absorbed the spirit and resolve of Nicaragua’s last revolutionaries. I captured the essence of ‘Danza negra’ during the San Jerónimo festival in the Monimbò neighborhood. In the music video, I portray three masked figures delicately restoring the battered historical canvases of Nicaragua, juxtaposing the indignation of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples with the enduring struggle of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (F.S.L.N.) and the resilience of Masaya’s Monimbò women.”

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