Tijuana Cartel’s worldly delights

EAST will meet west in the far south tomorrow night when Gold Coast band Tijuana Cartel bring their bassfuelled jazzy electronica back to Hobart.

Paul George (guitar, vocals) and Carey O’Sullivan (guitar, keys) formed Tijuana Cartel after bonding over their mutual love of trippy, instrumental, mind-expanding music. Joined by various other musicians over the years, George and O’Sullivan have been on a mission to make every album completely different from their last.

The pair started out playing the multilayered fusion of world music found on their 2007 debut album Frequent Flyers Redeemed, but their sound has evolved constantly over the years.

They captured the energy of their live shows on their 2009 album They Come; added elements of electronica and glitchhop on their 2010 EP White Dove and album M1; went back to their world music roots on 2014’s 24-Bit Guitar Orchestra; then explored Australian counterculture on their 2015 release Psychedelicatessen.

In April, Tijuana Cartel released the second single from their special vinyl edition EP Ishtar’s Descent, a track called Sophia which George describes as “trance lost in a new world”.

“This song highlights our strength and individuality as Tijuana Cartel,” George says. “It has a strong four-to-the-floor beat, trippy electronic analog synths, Cubanstyle percussion, trumpet riffs and, of course, the sound of flamenco guitar.”

To promote Sophia, the group has embarked on one of their most comprehensive national tours to date, which will also include recording a new live album.

Tijuana Cartel and support act Come Knights play at Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel from 8pm tomorrow. They play at Launceston’s Saloon Bar on Saturday night. Tickets $20 (plus booking fee) pre-sale from www.oztix.com. au, or $25 at door.