Cosmic Tribe :: Ancient roots, global reach

Acid boilers, fractured breaks, raw electro, and speaker groaning techno

In Granada, the past and present live cheek by jowl. Above its winding streets sits the Alhambra, the palace fortress from which the Nasrid dynasty ruled Southern Spain until the late 15th century. Below, a cosmopolitan and modern city has grown into a thriving hub of trade and tourism. And, tucked into its corners, a burgeoning music scene of record shops and labels is taking shape. Cosmic Tribe belongs to this growing community. Established in 2024 by Calagad 13, the imprint has been remarkably productive. In just two short years, fifteen records have appeared, spanning solo albums, EPs, and compilations. The label’s focus is firmly on the floor, acid boilers, fractured breaks, raw electro, and speaker groaning techno.

Compilations have become the cornerstone of the label. The Vibracid and Xtrictly Elektro series in particular have served as vehicles for gathering likeminded artists and emerging talent. Across the eight compilations released so far, a handful of names will ring bells. DJ Overdose of Viewlexx fame appears on Xtrictly Elektro 4 with a smoldering machine workout titled “One on One.” Another familiar figure is CCO of Lux Rec, also known as Florin Büchel and part of Savage Grounds and Wavetest. His contributions, “Radiation Pressure” on Vibracid 2 and “Embedded Cluster” on Vibracid 3, are jagged 303 constructions with a hint of dancefloor devilment.

Cosmic Tribe’s search for artists has taken it across the globe. X Truder from Poland, Mokotron from New Zealand, Wicked Wes from the USA, the continents and hemispheres have been combed for machinists with an ear for the floor. Calagad 13 describes the process of finding contributors as “organic,” a matter of identifying musicians who share the Cosmic Tribe “wavelength.”

Spanish artists, of course, are also central to the story. Alongside Calagad 13 is EC13, a sound sculptor and the visual heart of the label. A pivotal figure, he has released albums and appeared across the imprint. His style is rooted in bass, thick, heavy, and leaving subwoofers shuddering in his wake. Elements of braindance and IDM weave through his tracks, with vocoders and chiptune chicanery bubbling to the surface, as heard on “Perdiendo” from his new Loto Azul 12”. His productions often carry a distorted edge, the fierce force of “Sinfonía Tercera” counterbalanced by clean, glacial melodies. These cleaner angles echo EC13’s visual work, geometric shapes and interlocking lines that define the Cosmic Tribe aesthetic. From the label’s logo to its cover art, ancient angular emblems and geometric patterns have been translated from soundwave to sleeve and have even found their way on to the streets of Granada.

The intensity continues to rise ::

Now into their fourth cycles of Vibracid and Xtrictly Elektro, Cosmic Tribe shows no sign of slowing down as the intensity continues to rise. Brothers in arms return for the latest installments, joined by new companions such as Lups Digga with the explosive “Just Dance” and Cliff Dalton with the soothing “Songbirds.” Dedicated to the physical, each release is pressed on high quality vinyl, limited to just 150 copies.

Vinyl sits at the heart of the label. Calagad 13 acknowledges the challenges of working with the physical, the “planning and precision” required for each release, but for him, vinyl is also an expression. The physical format is a “language,” an “interaction” between the imprint and its audience. This commitment has allowed clear pathways and series to develop. Following Vibracid and Xtrictly Elektro come the Artist Series and Split Artist Series (Alkaline Series), with Alex Gordiy debuting on the former.

Gordiy, a Ukrainian producer, brings his own machine sound to Cosmic Tribe with Azure. This shift toward techno is less a departure than a sidestep. The title track drapes clean kick thump in dub, eerie tones stalking the hi hats. “Isolator” is cut from similar cloth, looming basslines punctuated by spring loaded stabs as the rhythms drive forward. The flip sees the originals adopt an electro slant. Serial contributor ROI tempers “Azure” with slicing percussion and floating melodies, while EC13 adds extra intensity to “Isolator” with glitched samples and incising drums.

Granada was once the cosmopolitan capital of Al Andalus, a confluence of cultures, identities, and ideas that blossomed under an ancient sun. Today, the city still radiates an unmistakable energy. Thanks to Cosmic Tribe, Granada also resonates with a soundtrack that cultivates local artists while embracing global talent.

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