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
Noa Sainz - "Yo No Soy"
After a short string of sumptuous singles, Mexico City-based singer Noa Sainz has finally dropped her debut EP No Science, where R&B beats and tender chords abound. On her track “Yo No Soy,” she flexes her vocal prowess to sing about that bitter moment when we finally see the signs and realize the person we love has emotionally been out of the relationship for a long time. –Cheky
2
Jarina de Marco - "FACE"
Jarina de Marco continues her run of punchy playground romps with “FACE,” a loose homage to New York’s underground ballroom scene. With this addictive single from her forthcoming EP, Jarina shows she’s mastered the art of feeling yourself anthems. –Isabelia Herrera
3
Jasper Bones - "Someone Like You"
Jasper Bones’ wavy soul concoctions often function as salves to soothe heartaches, but on “Someone Like You,” the California new romantic delivers a gentle dose of longing just in time for cuffing season. –Isabelia Herrera
4
Torreblanca - “El Candado”
Beloved Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Manuel Torreblanca has kept a low profile since last year’s intimate Algo Se Quedó Sin Decir album. Now he returns with this end-of-year nugget of signature pop melodrama featuring an unexpected dance floor twist. “El Candado” is a searing break-up anthem that frames Torreblanca’s theatrical vocals in a symphony of horns and tropical keys, toiling between sensuality and rapturous joy as he describes how and why this romance must end to unlock his heart once again. –Richard Villegas
5
Funeral - "Festividad"
Montevideo’s Salviatek collective is finishing 2018 with strength. this teaser from Bolivian producer Funeral’s upcoming Privacidad EP reworks Andean beats to form a pensive club directive. –Caitlin Donohue
6
DJ Baby Uniq - "Numb"
Producer-vocalist DJ Baby Uniq, a resident of Los Angeles’ Noche de Travesuras perreo conjuring, turns in a cavalcade of sound for this ode to tuning out the feelings and turning up the anime cholita brush-off. Do you vibe with her coinage of “kawaiiton” for the track? –Caitlin Donohue
7
J. Fernandez - "Volcanic Winter"
“Volcanic Winter” unfurls as though you’re sitting at the bottom of a pool holding your breath, reflecting on the fading warmth of summer. Chicago-based singer-songwriter J. Fernández uses a few familiar sounds to flesh out his narrative: sunny and surly psych melodies and half-remembered nods to lo-fi indie pop arrangements, but these blow by like an unexpected gust of salty breeze on a winter day. –Marcos Hassan
8
Hermetics - "Non-Physical Friend"
On “Non-Physical Friend,” a dynamic techno animal emerges through minimal repetitive electronics, transcending the signature sounds of the genre and creating a song that invites you to turn off your brain and let yourself dance. Through this intricate production, Buenos Aires’ Hermetics prove that there is, in fact, a soul in the machine. –Marcos Hassan
9
Vientre - "Anhelos Distantes"
Colombia’s Vientre hit all the hallmarks of a great screamo track, but the little details embedded in “Anhelos Distantes” are what make it truly compelling, like the angular guitar lines and hardcore rhythms stripped of their ferocity. Although the screams suggest cathartic release, the lyrics reflect regret and doubt before confessing one’s feelings, letting the minutes hang in the air as the atmosphere gets thicker. –Marcos Hassan
10
Zanillya - "In It 4 a Lifetime"
Dominican-Aruban singer and producer Zanillya employs a global vocal lilt and coolly-delivered electro R&B signifiers on this meditation on life’s purpose. –Caitlin Donohue
11
Juracán - "Moraleja"
Channeling the solemn stillness of Simon and Garfunkel and refracting it through the prism of Caribbean folklore, Juracán’s “Moraleja” is a delicate statement from the Dominican-Puerto Rican songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. “Moraleja” is the lead single off his forthcoming debut EP Niño, which presents the listener with a tremulous glimpse into Juracán’s world of atmospheric storytelling. –Richard Villegas
12
Solomon Ray - "Over You"
LA-based reggaeton upstart Solomon Ray is making all the right moves, releasing a steady stream of mainstream-leaning bops while upending criticisms from naysaying gatekeepers that labeled his open queerness and Mexican heritage as handicaps within the urbano movement. Solomon’s latest offering comes in “Over You,” a bilingual reggaeton gem that finds him in the throes of heartbreak and seeking ill-advised refuge in alcohol and casual sex. Aside from its status as a serious fall earworm, “Over You” is increasingly relatable as we inch closer to what can be the loneliest season of the year. –Richard Villegas
13
Ruzzi - “En Construcción” (ft. Alex Anwandter)
Mexican multi-instrumentalist Ruzzi is ready for her close-up with her debut album Nave Espacial, but she got some help from musical friends she’s made throughout her career. The record features guest spots from Natalia Lafourcade, Javiera Mena, Gepe, and Alex Anwandter, who sounds just at home on the collab “En Construcción.” Backed by a delicious string arrangement, Ruzzi and Anwandter tell an us-against-the-world love story. –Cheky