Ruidosón is a cultural phenomenon that has taken over Tijuana and it can’t be mentioned without people associating it with Tony Gallardo aka Maria y José who has been at the forefront of this groundbreaking genre. Some of its creators go as far as describing it as a way of life rather than a genre. It picks up where Nortec left off.
Ruidosón is rooted in the dark sensibilities and noise of the modern city. It samples the sonic influences of yesteryear and melds it with the contemporary experiences and circumstances that many live in Tijuana. It is noisy, big bass beats and dance rhythms that were birthed by a new generation from the sinister bloodshed that has plagued the country for years. In a way, it could be said that ruidosón is a response to the violence and a way to cathartically release the frustration that many feel but don’t know how to express. It is a collision of cultures that explodes through the speakers rather than through weapons.
After his revolutionary and innovative first release, Maria y José is back with Ultra, the first single off his forthcoming second album Club Negro due out in April. Ultra is a big bass song with brooding toned lyrics about a home invasion murder that is somewhat reminiscent to M.I.A’s “Paper Planes”, perhaps it’s the laid back way the lyrics are sung and the low key almost lazy vibe of the short song. If Ultra is any indication of what’s to come, we are in for quite a treat come April.