Granha – Santa Compaña EP [Samail Music]

Galician Mystique Unveiled: Granha’s Dancefloor Alchemy in ‘Santa Compaña

After nearly 4 years since his last EP, during which he moved to Leipzig (Germany), Granha unveils his latest work: a cascade of syncopated beats, synthesizers, bagpipes, and traditional percussion, crafting sonic landscapes that evoke the darkness of the Galician night. Steeped in the ancient Galician myth of the Santa Compaña, a spectral procession of wandering souls, Granha, a key figure in the Spanish downtempo scene with residencies in Raíces (Ibiza, Barcelona, and Sevilla) and L’a Cultural (Bcn), takes an artistic turn to explore the traditional rhythms of Galicia, infusing dance floors with divine and earthly fusion.

The EP comprises three allegorical tracks, including a Xota Gallega with a 3×4 rhythm symbolizing the Estadea leading the Compaña, a 4×4 Rumba Gallega dedicated to the Bedoeiro who perceives the procession, and finally, the song “Santa Compaña” an amalgamation with 3×4 percussions and 4×4 synthesizers representing the moment these mythological figures intersect.

These musical renditions narrate a legendary procession of lost souls traversing paths in the night.

According to tradition, the Santa Compaña consists of a group of wandering souls led by a figure called “alma en pena” or “solitary soul.” These souls, usually recently deceased individuals, carry candles and walk in a line, praying for their eternal rest. The procession is said to be silent and mysterious, and those who witness it may experience supernatural phenomena.

Folk belief holds that anyone encountering the Santa Compaña may face misfortune or even death. Various methods have been suggested for protection against this ghostly procession, such as drawing magical circles, hiding, or carrying sacred objects.

Each “soul” carries an invisible candle, but the scent of burning wax is discernible. The procession is led by a larger-than-life spectre, almost 3 meters tall, known as Estadea, with a skull face, glowing red eyes, and fire in its mouth. A Bedoeiro is an individual with the ability to see the Compaña because, during their baptism, they were anointed in error with oil of the deceased.

This collaboration between Samain Music and the Galician DJ is not the first. In the spring of 2021, they released “Samain Rural Set vol.I by Granja,” the inaugural release aimed at “promoting the folklore of the peninsula by bringing oral tradition to an entirely new format.” This music echoes dance and folk elements, incorporating bagpipes, tambourines, and shells with heavy bass, house rhythms, and plenty of groove.