Every week, we highlight some of our favorite releases in a handy list. Although we try to cover as much new music as possible, there are so many stellar releases to talk about. Consider this our genre-diverse guide to songs we have on repeat.
Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
1
Defensa - "Borremos"
This Buenos Aires pack makes a play to be your preferred boy band with an electro re-imagination of dembow sounds, their mil hojas missive employing lo-fi vocal strains and a video featuring endless, reeling video clips of urban miscellanea. –Caitlin Donohue
2
Empress Of - "I Don’t Even Smoke Weed"
Empress Of released her highly anticipated new album Us today, but not before giving us one last delectable tease earlier this week in the form of “I Don’t Even Smoke Weed.” The song perfectly captures the in-between-the-lines of every relationship, recounting the blissful moments of literally lying around doing nothing that somehow become the treasured hallmarks of every defunct romance. –Richard Villegas
3
La Goony Chonga - "Be Me"
In her most exciting bilingual flow so far this year, La Goony Chonga goes hard out the gate with a matter-of-fact homage to the baddest bitch in the room, AKA herself. Baby Mazi makes a cameo in the video to back up Momma’s claims. –Caitlin Donohue
4
Ceci G - "Mala Fruta"
Although one can assume that Ceci G’s “Mala Fruta” might refer to the fruit in question being spoiled, it’s fair to think otherwise once you press play on the song. The house-infused pop track features the sound of a speeding car in the intro, which, when paired with its irresistible melodies, makes us conclude that “Mala Fruta” is actually a sweet thing from the wrong side of the tracks. –Marcos Hassan
5
Build a Vista - "Close to the Edge"
Mexico’s Build a Vista manages to make psych that feels both expansive and trippy, as well as whispery and intimate. It balances big rock exposition with pop melodies, hypnotic bass lines, and guitars that snake around and explode in fuzz-heavy chords. It makes being close to the edge seem like something soothing and triumphant. –Marcos Hassan
6
Trending Tropics - “On Fire” (ft. AcentOh)
A hip-hop beat, intricate guitar work, Afro-Caribbean percussion, and chants propel the new Trending Tropics single “On Fire” to the stratosphere. The new duo formed by superstar producer and former Calle 13 member Eduardo Cabra and Latin Grammy winner Vicente García is coming at us full steam ahead, and for this track, they tapped nimble Dominican rapper AcentOh, creating a clarion call to rebel against the technology that has taken over our lives. –Cheky
7
Sr. Amable - "La Canción Uno del Disco Que Cambió al Rock"
From his post in Chihuahua, Mexico, Sr. Amable has spent the last decade building an increasingly impressive discography of quirky and dissonant indie pop masterpieces. His latest is called El Disco Que Cambió al Rock and the opening track – a pitch-perfect, skronky power pop ode to bands who use other bands – is a modern hit that hints to a past without imitating it much, referencing what the title suggests about the album. –Marcos Hassan
8
Dolor Folktrónico - "Miéntele"
Chicago producers Los Marafakas have joined forces with local vocalist, percussionist, and activist Lester Rey to form tropical bass super group Dolor Folktrónico and their latest release “Miéntele” is a lurching dembow ballad for leaving unhealthy relationships behind. In a press release, Lester succinctly sums up the spirit of the track. “If the first step to leaving a toxic relationship is lying, then dale.” –Richard Villegas
9
Xina Xurner – “Inténtame" (ft. San Cha)
LA-based electro-noise divas Xina Xurner have teamed up with punk upstart San Cha for an industrial cumbia named “Inténtame” that seamlessly strings together their goth, S&M, and genderfuck sensibilities for a hedonistic dancefloor anthem. –Richard Villegas
10
HIJOS - "Luces de San José"
Costa Rican quartet HIJOS have finally broken their silence by reinventing themselves with their second full-length Sol Naciente, and single “Luces de San José” encapsulates the melancholy romance that imbues the nine tracks on the album. This song in particular borrows its aesthetic from 80s pop en español hits, and its lyrics about longing for a lost love or place has us thinking one thing: same. –Cheky
11
Marrón - "Same System"
Mexico’s Marrón created a delicate but totally danceable number for you to dedicate to your significant other when you finally realize you can’t function without them. Listen to this while tiny-dancing together in an open, empty space. –Cheky
12
Cupido - "No Sabes Mentir"
With the single “No Sabes Mentir,” the veil has been lifted from the mysterious Spanish project Cupido; we now know it’s a new group composed of YouTube smash and Kinder Malo collaborator Pimp Flaco and Madrid psych-pop band Solo Astra. The song is a sunny indie pop number that finds Pimp Flaco invoking 60s melodies and offering an endearing description of how his girl looks when she lies – or even fakes it in bed. –Cheky
13
Fntxy - "Made It"
This Mexican rapper showcased the tender end of Homegrown Entertainment’s spectrum with his Rey de Corazones Rotos album, and it looks like he’s ready for a victory lap after the bleeding-heart vibe of those jams. “Made It” is a hip-hop track studded with moments where a dancehall beat peers through. Listen for fresh vibes that don’t bleed into the overly experimental. –Caitlin Donohue