Interview of Nortec

Play 1 [2'35] : The story behind Nortec and how their internet site shot them to fame
Extract : "Norteño de Janeiro" by Terrestre

Play 2 [3'26] : Tijuana - a border town with a difference and a unique place to grow up in
Extract : "And L" by Panóptica

Play 3 [4'33] : Musically one step ahead
Extract : "No liazi jazz" Plankton Man

Play 4 [6'35] : Norteña and Banda, and the narco corrido subculture
Extract : "Casino soul" by Fussible

Play 5 [5'28] : A Mexican's view of Paris demonstrations and comparison with his home politics
Extract : "Tijuana for dummies" by Hiperboreal


Nortec, short for Norteña Techno, is an electronic music and graphic artist collective from the Mexican border town of Tijuana. Recently signed by Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures, this could be the break they've been waiting for. Over in Paris performing bang in the middle of the social uprising caused by the Presidential elections, we caught up with three of the lads - Jorge, part of Fussible, Roberto aka Panóptica and Pedro Gabriel alias Hiperboreal - to chat about the narco-subculture and Mexican politics…

Interview and photos : Marushka
Paris, May 2002