- Lisbon collective kaptcha curate a heady mix of club tracks to raise money for trans and nonbinary immigrants in Portugal.
- Lisbon's bustling queer scene has risen to global prominence thanks to parties like Mina and the record labels Circa A.D., Naive and Troublemaker Records. kaptcha, the collective behind the rave-turned-houseparty Kit Ket, are another vital pillar of this tight-knit community that centers women and LGBTQ folks. In their memorable 2019 Boiler Room, kaptcha cofounder Ketia kicks off their set by declaring, "This is what a trans girl looks like, this is what a trans femme looks like," to collective cheers. This type of unapologetic self-realization and affirmation is the core of kaptcha, meant to create an open space for change and direct action. Their new compilation, Xenolith v1.0, is another facet of this, with 100 percent of proceeds going to Casa T, a shelter for trans and non-binary immigrants living in Lisbon.
In geological terms, a xenolith is a foreign piece of rock embedded into something else, a fragment that resisted melting into its molten surroundings. The music on this compilation moves with the same penetrative and self-assured power. The opener "I Found You (Hardhouse Mix)," produced by Eris Drew under the alias Bassbin 23, explodes out of the speakers with scuffed breaks and pounding hard house drums. Its topsy-turvy motion, hinging on stuttered vocals and high pitched acid lines, feels like a ride on a helicopter propeller. Kerox, one of kaptcha’s core members, hits with similar force on "AMBIENT FUCK," a triumphant gabber march through cackling, incomprehensible rap and revving car engines.
At the more ecstatic end of the spectrum we have Europa's "Club Of Cute And Angry," a cheeky Eurodance flip of Timbaland’s "The Way I Are," followed in close second by St4cey4101's ‘"Crush." Those sticky-sweet vocals and glowstick synth bleeps are the stuff of instant gratification. The lighter moments on Xenolith v1.0 come in its latter half, where the experience becomes more transcendent than effervescent. The way SASHA THEFT nests laid-back keys in rolling jungle on "East Of" channels Adam F's blissful classic "Circles." Ndr0n's "balladV1" opens with an incredible sense of space and a woozy rhythm that speaks of Burial or Four Tet. Octo Octa comes through with an equally breathtaking trance closer on "Forever Gaze, Forever Here," all cushioned pads and scintillating synths, a suitably grand ending.
As a collective, kaptcha have become integral to their local scene with down-to-earth events that hold dear rave culture's core sentiment: togetherness. And the way this compilation pulls together so many artists and styles—across different scenes and continents—so cohesively shows how their mission resonates outside Lisbon, too. There’s a beautiful duality in the impact Xenolith v1.0 could have on both those who benefit from its proceeds and those who just listen. No matter our background, origin, colour, sexuality or gender, we’re all left levitating in the same considered and intentional space.
Tracklist01. Bassbin 23 - I Found You (Hardhouse Mix)
02. Europa - Club of Cute and Angry
03. Kerox - AMBIENT FUCK
04. Alada - Terremoto
05. St4cey4101 - Crush
06. Peach - Kenneth's Drama
07. Kuscheln - Speed Bump
08. ketia - i never asked for any of this
09. Ndr0n - balladV1
10. Sean Brooder - Pulse
11. SASHA THEFT - East Of
12. Octo Octa - Forever Gaze, Forever Here