Electronic / Électronique

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique – Pahua : A Latina Tornado

by Michel Labrecque

Pahua, real name Paulina Sotomayor, is a Mexican DJ, producer and songwriter. She plays folktronica, this new genre that mixes traditional sounds and electronic music. 

Her concert began late, which made me miss a large part of the recital by the Brazilian Luis Salgado, at Balattou, which was otherwise very good, in a very different register. 

As soon as she arrives on stage, Pahua envelops the audience with her disarming smile, her enthusiasm to be among us. She is surrounded by computers, but also by percussion and two musicians, an electric guitarist and a percussionist, both wearing enormous white glasses. 

Palhua composes, sings and is also a percussionist. Which gives a more percussive version in concert than that of his first album, Habita, released at the end of 2023. Groove quickly took hold and a majority of the audience started dancing. A mixture of cumbia and other Latin American rhythms stirred up Le Ministère. 

The electronic arrangements, mixed with traditional recorded instruments, notably accordion, flutes and trumpet, add musical material to the rhythm. There are also more meditative, more folk moments. 

Paulina Sotomayor also knows how to sing and clearly enjoys it. In addition, behind the stage, a video constantly shows images of both the urbanity and the nature of Mexico and Latin America. 

Because, if Pahua is Mexican and proud of it, we sense in her a desire to embrace all Latin American cultures. She will also, in a future project, be interested in Brazilian baile-funk, she told us in an interview. 

On her album Habita, she multiplied collaborations with musicians from across the continent, from Costa Rica to Chile. It is part of a larger ecosystem of folktronica, which would benefit from being better known here. 

Pahua is undoubtedly a Mexican artist to follow. And Le Ministère public seemed to enjoy it to the fullest.

Publicité panam

Latest 360 Content

Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture

Blondshell – If You Asked For a Picture

Hitting a Fever Pitch at the Ribbon Skirt LP Launch 

Hitting a Fever Pitch at the Ribbon Skirt LP Launch 

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

LMNL – Rainbow

LMNL – Rainbow

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Galan Trio – Embrace

Galan Trio – Embrace

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Hypercube – The Force for Good

Hypercube – The Force for Good

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

Duo AYA – Cycles

Duo AYA – Cycles

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Subscribe to our newsletter