Oro

An alchemical transformation of metal instruments from Colombia

Oro is a celebration of the transformative journeys of musical instruments through many different contexts and genres. The second instalment in our location-based Portals series, Oro is the result of a creative exploration of the place that half of the MNTRA Team calls home: Bogotá, Colombia. The legend of El Dorado has long been told about the territory of Abya Yala (the Indigenous Kuna-language name for present-day Colombia and Panama), but this coveted kingdom of noble metals was far more than anyone could have imagined. This instrument is a reinterpretation of the meaning of noble metals in Colombia.

Many brass instruments arrived in Colombia via the Caribbean, were transformed, and became ubiquitous across many genres throughout the country. Now, as traditional rhythms are being reinterpreted in modern pop and dance music, instruments from neighbouring countries and musical traditions have also taken on the roles of more traditional Colombian instruments. Within Oro, we present a deep collection of metal percussion, modern valved brass instruments and an architecturally renowned organ, along with analogue and digitally processed versions of these source samples and immersive natural ambiences. With this inspiring set of metal instruments and the transformative power of our acoustic synthesis engine, MNDALA 2, we offer you the next generation of tools for transmuting these musical traditions.

Originating from the military band tradition, brass instruments now play a central role in styles such as Chirimía from the northern Pacific region, Porro and Fandango in the Magdalena River basin, and in Salsa, a genre that found a cradle in the western part of the Andes. This intersects with the history of church organs on the continent, whose repertoire was first performed by brass ensembles before organs became available locally. The collected sounds within Oro have been expertly played by local artists, performing musical styles from across the country. Each musician brought their unique perspectives, incorporating favourite techniques, arrangements, rhythms and sounds to create the distinctive fusion of Oro.

We present to you Oro, our token for a land where the music is as diverse as the natural landscape (or perhaps because of it!). We have lovingly crafted it as a revisionist take on the legend of the golden kingdom: not a mythical land of riches to be exploited, but a dynamic, constantly changing and generous hub for creativity and diversity. Oro is our invitation to continue creating and transforming music and tradition, rooted in the respect we extend to those who invest time in learning and sharing.

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10 or later
• Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Hard Disk Space: 2 GB free disk space
• Audio Interface: ASIO compatible