• Latin energy without clichés
• Bold orchestral buildup
• Surprising Big Room edge
When I reviewed “Solus” a few months ago, I told you Mannie Sapra had potential.
His Mainstage Techno was super creative and energetic, with a way of building tension that honestly amazed me. And now here we are, on main Revealed, with “Loca”, feat. Zay. Someone read that review, eh?
Jokes aside, I’m really happy to see Mannie Sapra on one of my favorite labels, which is slowly climbing back to its past glory.
That Hardwell set at UMF Europe gave me goosebumps (speaking of which, Mannie remixed that Kendrick/Travis track in such a genius way), and “Loca” fits perfectly into this new Revealed phase.
I loved that it’s not some predictable Latin-sounding track. Sure, there are tribal drums and some Spanish vocals, but the drop plays more with Mexican-inspired brass and punchy synth hits that give it bounce without going full cartoon mode. It’s Techno at heart, especially during the breakdown transitions, but it constantly evolves. The idea of throwing in a cinematic buildup with trumpets and orchestral drums? Brilliant. It adds this touch of elegance, suddenly broken by the chopped-up pre-drop vocal loop. That switch is super bold and totally lands. Techno, with a “loca” twist.
Overall, “Loca” is a solid debut on Revealed. It’s got personality, avoids the usual clichés, it’s fun, and it hits hard. The trumpet’s a bold choice, and it just works. I’m honestly surprised Hardwell hasn’t played it (yet) live: it’s made for festivals. But hey, I still need to catch up with Tomorrowland…