Sofía Córdova and Matthew Kirkland come from Puerto Rico and Brooklyn, respectively, but when they came together in Oakland as dance-pop act ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted, neither forgot their roots. Their self-titled debut looks deep into pop and new wave’s music’s past for forgotten sounds and worldwide grooves. It’s no surprise, then, that for a cover promoting their release, they dug up a gem. The song is “Home,” an early album cut from little-remembered New Wave singer Lene Lovich, and in ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted’s hands it takes on a menacing new tone.
ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted imbue the dance beats in “Home” with a whole lot of electroclash aggression, like Siouxsie and the Banshees as heard in a dicey Prague disco. The come-ons are more threats than invitations, submerged in layers of reverb and insistent synth. Even a feel-good phrase “Home is where the heart is” becomes dark and ominous in Córdova’s hands. Check out our exclusive premiere below.
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