Two massive cumbias recorded in 1983 by Afrosound, the studio band fronted by Fruko and put together by Discos Fuentes in order to emulate the guitar-heavy tropical sounds emanating from Perú and Ecuador at the time. Heavy on space sounds and unexpected sonic tricks, these two songs were released as a tribute to E.T. aiming to take advantage of the pull of the film that year. -Vampisoul
Fruko y sus Tesos: The giants of Colombian salsa who revolutionized Latin music
Once again Fruko is at the helm in the studio for this recording, simultaneously holding it down and allowing the musicians to explore their most spaced-out fantasies. This time Jose A. Villerias is in control at the mixing console, pulling all sorts of tricks with space sounds, reverb and echo, and everyone sounds as if they are having a lot of fun.
Both songs had been previously recorded and included on Afrosound’s 1974 album “Carruseles” —recently reissued on Vampisoul— but these new versions from 1983 feature an updated sound with an extensive use of space effects and unexpected sonic tricks. Taking advantage of the pull the film was having at the time, the result was carefully packaged with an E.T. themed artwork, aiming commercial success.
First time reissue.
Fruko, el genio de la música colombiana
Grab Afrosound’s wild 1983 vinyl Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre – freaky cumbia madness! Two bangers only, but they slap hard – disco, funk, Latin heat all mashed up. ET’s back and he’s dancing. Julio Estrada cooked this freakshow, real raw sound. Not for squares. If you ain’t vibin’ to alien cumbia by now… maybe Earth ain’t for you.
REVIEW OF Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre El Regreso De ET El Extraterrestre
By Afrosound
released January 1, 1983
Yo. This Afrosound 7” from 1983? Nah, it ain’t your abuela’s cumbia. This is straight-up sonic chaos with a side of disco fries. Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre / El Regreso De ET El Extraterrestre – yeah, the title’s a damn mouthful, but who cares when the groove hits like a UFO abduction. First track, “Cumbia De ET,” slaps harder than your tío at a family BBQ. That bassline? Thick. Funky. Colombian funk on steroids. Drums punch like they got something to prove. And the synth? Sounds like it was pulled straight outta a 1982 sci-fi B-movie. But it works. Somehow, it works. Julio Estrada (Fruko El Bueno, legend status) produced this madness, and you can feel it — he didn’t come to play, he came to wreck. Second track, “El Regreso,” slows it down a notch. More tropical, more melancholic. Like ET already missin’ Earth while floatin’ back to space. The melody’s catchy as hell, but it’s not as aggressive. Kinda feels like the comedown after the party. Still solid, but the first track is the real killer. What I didn’t like? Nah, man. Can’t front. The whole thing’s under 8 minutes total. Two tracks, both short, no deep cuts, no epic solos. Feels more like a novelty single than a full statement. And the concept? ET the alien? Wild. But also, kinda random. Like, why ET? Why 1983, right after the Spielberg flick? Cash grab? Maybe. But damn, what a funky cash grab. The production’s raw. Not clean. Gritty. You can hear the tape hiss, the room noise. Some’ll hate it. I love it. Makes it feel real. Like it was recorded in a garage with a mic duct-taped to a cajón. Authentic as hell. Afrosound wasn’t just copying Peru’s chicha. They were spittin’ their own venom — Colombian soul, Afro rhythms, disco beats, and a whole lot of attitude. This ain’t polished for gringos. It’s for the barrio, the dancefloor, the people who know cumbia don’t gotta be soft. Oh, and it’s on Discos Fuentes. Of course it is. Colombian royalty. Final thought? This record proves aliens probably have better taste in music than your average Spotify algorithm. And if ET came back, he wouldn’t want Coldplay. He’d want this. On loop. In a stolen pickup truck, blasting through the desert at 3 AM.
ALBUMS SIMILAR TO Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre El Regreso De ET El Extraterrestre
1. Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia by Los Ángeles Azules – so smooth, like dancing under a disco ball in your kitchen at 3 a.m.
2. La Cumbia del Sol by Orquesta del Sol – funky horns, sunny vibes, feels like a hug from your tía who always dances too close.
3. El Baile de la Vendedora de Flores by Grupo Niche – salsa heat with cumbia soul, perfect when you need to cry and dance at the same time.
4. La Colegiala by Los Mirlos – that synth line hits like your first crush in elementary school, weird but magical.
5. Ritmo! by Fruko y sus Tesos – raw, wild, and loud, like your abuelo finally letting loose at a family BBQ.
6. Cumbia Sampuesana by Abel Antonio Villa – dusty, dreamy, like driving through a village at dusk with the windows down.
7. La Cumbia del Río by Los Diablos Rojos – gritty, fast, makes your heart race like you’re running from something you can’t name.
8. Bailando Cumbia by Grupo Kual? – quirky, playful, like laughing with your cousins while someone burns the arepas. Sometimes I think aliens made cumbia too. Maybe ET was just vibing to this on his way home.
released January 1, 1983
Yo. This Afrosound 7” from 1983? Nah, it ain’t your abuela’s cumbia. This is straight-up sonic chaos with a side of disco fries. Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre / El Regreso De ET El Extraterrestre – yeah, the title’s a damn mouthful, but who cares when the groove hits like a UFO abduction. First track, “Cumbia De ET,” slaps harder than your tío at a family BBQ. That bassline? Thick. Funky. Colombian funk on steroids. Drums punch like they got something to prove. And the synth? Sounds like it was pulled straight outta a 1982 sci-fi B-movie. But it works. Somehow, it works. Julio Estrada (Fruko El Bueno, legend status) produced this madness, and you can feel it — he didn’t come to play, he came to wreck. Second track, “El Regreso,” slows it down a notch. More tropical, more melancholic. Like ET already missin’ Earth while floatin’ back to space. The melody’s catchy as hell, but it’s not as aggressive. Kinda feels like the comedown after the party. Still solid, but the first track is the real killer. What I didn’t like? Nah, man. Can’t front. The whole thing’s under 8 minutes total. Two tracks, both short, no deep cuts, no epic solos. Feels more like a novelty single than a full statement. And the concept? ET the alien? Wild. But also, kinda random. Like, why ET? Why 1983, right after the Spielberg flick? Cash grab? Maybe. But damn, what a funky cash grab. The production’s raw. Not clean. Gritty. You can hear the tape hiss, the room noise. Some’ll hate it. I love it. Makes it feel real. Like it was recorded in a garage with a mic duct-taped to a cajón. Authentic as hell. Afrosound wasn’t just copying Peru’s chicha. They were spittin’ their own venom — Colombian soul, Afro rhythms, disco beats, and a whole lot of attitude. This ain’t polished for gringos. It’s for the barrio, the dancefloor, the people who know cumbia don’t gotta be soft. Oh, and it’s on Discos Fuentes. Of course it is. Colombian royalty. Final thought? This record proves aliens probably have better taste in music than your average Spotify algorithm. And if ET came back, he wouldn’t want Coldplay. He’d want this. On loop. In a stolen pickup truck, blasting through the desert at 3 AM.
ALBUMS SIMILAR TO Cumbia De ET El Extraterrestre El Regreso De ET El Extraterrestre
1. Cumbia Cumbia Cumbia by Los Ángeles Azules – so smooth, like dancing under a disco ball in your kitchen at 3 a.m.
2. La Cumbia del Sol by Orquesta del Sol – funky horns, sunny vibes, feels like a hug from your tía who always dances too close.
3. El Baile de la Vendedora de Flores by Grupo Niche – salsa heat with cumbia soul, perfect when you need to cry and dance at the same time.
4. La Colegiala by Los Mirlos – that synth line hits like your first crush in elementary school, weird but magical.
5. Ritmo! by Fruko y sus Tesos – raw, wild, and loud, like your abuelo finally letting loose at a family BBQ.
6. Cumbia Sampuesana by Abel Antonio Villa – dusty, dreamy, like driving through a village at dusk with the windows down.
7. La Cumbia del Río by Los Diablos Rojos – gritty, fast, makes your heart race like you’re running from something you can’t name.
8. Bailando Cumbia by Grupo Kual? – quirky, playful, like laughing with your cousins while someone burns the arepas. Sometimes I think aliens made cumbia too. Maybe ET was just vibing to this on his way home.
Afrosound - Cumbia de E.T. El Extraterrestre / El Regreso de E.T. El Extraterrestre
(2X7'' / Reissue Discos Fuentes 2016 & Reissue Vampisoul 2023)
Label: Vampi Soul – VAMPI 45098
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Reissue, Stereo
Country: Spain
Released: 1983 / Reissue 2016 & 2023
Genre: Latin, Funk / Soul
Style: Latin, Cumbia, Disco
Source: Digital
1. Cumbia de E.T. El Extraterrestre (Rapsodia del Chinito) 3:08
2. El Regreso de E.T. El Extraterrestre (Zaire Pop) 3:34
Notes
Originally released as Discos Fuentes 509314
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