TRACKS: 30-26 | 25-21 | 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1
by Ulises Hadjis
[Venezuela]
As subsumed in electronic music as we can get – and, I mean, a lot of it is great – I have to confess the soft spot I’ll always have for people playing instruments (of the traditional variety) and singing over them. Ulises Hadjis scratches that itch, and his song “Dónde Va” is the kind of classic, sweet ode that’s easy to bop your head to while rooting for the singer in the game of love. It’s a simplicity that’s we can’t lose track of. –Matt Barbot
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by Bunbury feat. David Hidalgo
[Spain]
Bunbury has always been some kind of lone wolf, though now that we read his “Diary of a Drunkard,” I don’t know: things got a little strange. But strange is good, especially when it comes to a guy like Bunbury, who has been around for so long and has always been a little… well, off. He sails away from the Iberian Peninsula and picks up the Latin vibe with good results, really: a dark, catchy and rhythmical tune. I didn’t care much for his “costume” in the video, but you got to love the tinny Catrina singing on a vintage microphone and holding signs and heart-shaped balloons. Strange, but End-of-the-Word strange. And like I said: strange is good. –Salvador Olguín
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by CeÚ
[Brazil]
“Retrovisor” is about moving on and not looking back. It obviously references some romantic break up, but it’s also a symbolically charged topic since the whole new album marked a stylistic departure from CéU‘s previous endeavours. Caravana Sereia Bloom was also conceived as a road trip collection of songs where each one represents a stop in CéU’s Latin American tour, “Retrovisor” being the first. I could keep going on about the meaning of it, and its tropicalia influences, but honestly, the main reason we selected this song is because we can’t help falling in love with her every time we listen to it. –Juan Data
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by Protistas
[Chile]
The draw of this instantly catchy and enticing tune is its idealism – it inspires thoughts about the urgency of healing what’s broken around us –right before the unexpected becomes explosive if it’s rubbed the wrong way, like a molotov or a grenade. Musically and lyrically, Protistas gave an eye-opening and jaw-dropping delivery, as militant and musical healers. “Granada” is intelligent and thought-provoking. There is hope. –Isabela Raygoza
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by A Band of Bitches
[Mexico]
Granted: “Noreste Caliente” references almost every single stereotype there is about Regios: carne asada, fast trucks, hot morritas and lots of beer. But truth be told: así es como nos gusta. Hot as hell y un chingo de cerveza: with this song, A Band of Bitches leads the way to the last party before the End of the World, Noreste-style. Just like Monterrey, this track is fast, tough, dirty, and did I mention it was hot? Doesn’t matter: there’s plenty of beer. There’s a beat. Metales, guitarra. Yes: that’s Jonas from Plastilina Mosh behind Ushka’s mask. Where’s the party, you say? Hasta mero arriba, a la derecha compadrito! You can’t miss it. –Salvador Olguín
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