There are few locals that Miami electro-pop darlings Afrobeta haven't converted into undying fans during their years on the scene.
Of course, though, chanteuse Cuci Amador's sweet Latin freestyle vocals are decidedly feminine and dance-y. So any bro looking for a more aggro masculine sound should definitely check out the other half of Afrobeta, Tony Smurphio, and his side project.
"Beatmachines came about from jamming with Jose Javier Freire, drummer for the former Grammy-winning Latin pop group Bacilos," Tony tells Crossfade. "I was their touring keyboardist/guitarist for five years, and in that time, we really learned how to jam with each other."
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"With Beatmachines there are no set lists or songs," he explains. "Afrobeta has a more traditional approach, where we write a song and perform it more or less the same way every time. Beatmachines' creative process differs from Afrobeta in the sense that we completely improvise on stage.
"I would like to incorporate Afrobeta and Beatmachines in the future into one," he adds. "I love the unpredictability and spontaneity of Beatmachines -- we feed off the people's energy like no other band I've ever played with. [But] on the other hand, there's nothing like a well-crafted song that has taken years to write and produce."
Beatmachines is currently working on its debut Manual Labor EP, slated for release this summer. While you wait, be sure to catch the act's regular gigs around town, including Saturday's live show as part of Sweat Records' Sweatstock 2013.
"High-energy, minimal, improvised dance music," Tony promises for Saturday's show. "We vary in tempo and styling. We'll go from a trap beat to thrash metal in a second, flip it to a house beat and then finish with dancehall. Our live M.O. is you'll never see the same show twice."
Sweatstock 2013. Saturday, April 20. Sweat Records, 5505 NE Second Ave., Miami, and Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami. The show starts at 2 p.m. and it's free. Visit sweatrecordsmiami.com.
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