This is our weekly compilation of bite-sized reviews of newly released songs by our talented music writers. Discover new favorites, read nuanced criticism of the week’s hottest releases, and much more. Who knows, you might walk out of this with a new fave or two. Some of the featured artists include Nicole Zignago with Camilo, Tei Shi, and Foreign Teck with Eladio Carrión, De la Ghetto, and Wisin. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Nicole Zignago feat. Camilo – “Mimos”
Peruvian singer-songwriter Nicole Zignago teamed up with Colombian star Camilo for a new emotional pop ballad called “Mimos.” Gentle guitar strings and sparse piano chords accompany Zignago’s hushed, delicate voice. The addition of Camilo’s distinctive vocals offers a sentimental soundtrack to those going through a situationship that’s reached its final chapter. Towards the end, the tender melody reaches a gradual climax, giving us a glimpse of Zignago’s vocal range, which we hope she taps more into. – Jeanette Hernandez
Tei Shi - “No Falta”
We’re getting closer and closer to the release of Valerie, Colombian-Canadian artist Tei Shi’s forthcoming album, out next month, and she shared “No Falta” as her newest single. Co-produced with Knox Fortune and featuring additional instrumentation by Rodrigo Amarante, the song is a light and flavorful electronic pop with dashes of tropicalia and neo-soul and just enough melancholy to support Tei Shi’s lyrics about denial. She’s grasping at straws to make a failed relationship work, trying to convince everyone, including herself, that everything’s just fine. – Cheky
Foreign Teck with Eladio Carrión, De la Ghetto, & Wisin – "100XCIENTO"
With spring training underway for a new baseball season, Grammy-nominated producer Foreign Teck is honoring the sport with help from Eladio Carrión, De la Ghetto, and Wisin on “100XCIENTO.” The track is driven by a booming bass — always a pleasing staple in Teck’s arsenal — and accompanied by motivational lyrics driving listeners to give 100 percent for future success. Or, perhaps from opening day to the October postseason. This ode to the MLB is released alongside a music video that includes appearances from New York Mets pitcher Edwin “Sugar” Díaz and shortstop Francisco Lindor. — Chelsea Quezada
Francisca Valenzuela – “Continente”
Singer-songwriter and music powerhouse Francisca Valenzuela is equally enamored as she is apprehensive about what she describes as “love’s initial spark” on the heartfelt “Continente.” Valenzuela pivots from the heartwrenching, post-breakup heaviness on tracks like “Adentro” and “Juan” from last year’s Adentro to a more gleaming, piano-driven indie pop sound filled with her signature anthemic choruses. Each verse rings with confessional-style earnestness that taps into those dizzying first stages of new love (“No me respondes, miro el telefono cada minuto/Tan impaciente, empiezo a dudar si realmente te gusto”) as the Chilean artist grapples with emotional (and literal) distance. – Nayeli Portillo
Jhayco, Bryant Myers, Luar La L – “KTM”
Puerto Rican sensation Jhayco taps Bryant Myers and Luar La L for cumulative sound explosion “KTM,” a rich and eerie soundtrack for late-night ghost rides and establishing territory. “KTM” is an aggressive anthem. From the heavy 808s, the howling flute sample, and bike sound effects, every minute of its runtime is extremely grimy. Despite “KTM” sounding like the backing track to a gang war in your favorite T.V. show, the track represents quite the opposite — it’s the coming together of two major creatives in el movimiento. After going for each other’s neck in a series of Twitter finger spats and diss tracks back in 2020, Jhayco and Myers have made peace for something greater beyond themselves. “KTM” sees this unification in the best manner the two hitmakers can produce, a six-minute track letting bygones be bygones, finding common ground in the island they rep and the drums that carry them. – Alan Baez
Salt Cathedral - “Thinking (‘bout you, ‘bout me)”
When it comes to sentimental weight applied to catchy songs, few are as capable of excelling at it as Salt Cathedral, and “Thinking (‘bout you, ‘bout me)” is a masterclass in this art. Melody is central to the duo’s sound, melding it into a melancholic yet euphoric sound that falls into rhythm patterns. Although it takes a minute for drums to kick in, groove is at the heart of “Thinking,” providing a foil for escape and yearning. Salt Cathedral proves to have that special talent for injecting complex emotions into music designed to let go of our worries. — Marcos Hassan
Carmen DeLeon - “El Vecino”
Move over the “girl next door” and say hello to the cute guy down the block. Carmen DeLeon’s newest single, “El Vecino,” counts the ways she loves thee as she sings about falling head over heels with her neighbor. What started as a missed connection turns into an infatuation, which the Venezuelan singer-songwriter channels into a catchy Spanglish pop track and equally bubbly music video. Her debut EP is just around the corner, and in August, she’ll be performing at Chicago’s Lollapalooza Festival. As her star keeps rising, it’ll be listener’s turn to have a crush on her and her music. — Juan J. Arroyo
SIMONA - “Fina y Eleganta”
Barcelona-based Argentine pop pixie SIMONA had a busy 2023, releasing her strobing debut Esfera de Amor and a subsequent remixes and edits tape mere months later. Now the soaring underground diva is kicking off a new era with “Fina y Eleganta,” a pummeling slice of Jersey Club that samples Daddy Yankee and booms like a rallying cry of independence. “Mi luz un destello no vuelve atrás / tu cruz solo vos la cargas,” shoots off SIMONA, drawing a brazen line in the sand for anyone ill-equipped to handle her undimmable light. – Richard Villegas
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso - “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE”
Argentinean music-shifting, genre-less artists CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso are back at it. The experimental, avant-garde duo’s newest offering is “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE,” a pop rave track that features hyper-pop elements driven by a throbbing and bouncy bass line. Known for their alternative and eccentric pop music – that frankly entrances the listener from the start – the duo is finally back to demonstrate how far they can innovate the impeccable electronic sounds that they’re known for. “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE” is the first taste of their upcoming debut album, BAÑO MARÍA, which promises a sonic playground for genres like drum and bass, pop rave, R&B, and more. – Jeanette Hernandez
Valesuchi - “Bainema”
Brazil-based electronic music producer Valesuchi experimented with the possibilities of her Dave Smith Tempest drum machine and birthed Cascada, a restless four-track EP, which includes the hallucinogenic “Bainema.” Sitting second on the tracklist, the song is Valesuchi’s attempt at capturing her experience with mushroom trips, and the result is a rapid-fire percussion assault balanced out with a cloud of slow-moving gliding synths, giving us quite a disorienting ride that we’d be happy to take again and again. – Cheky
Lupita Infante – "El Canto Del Bracero"
Lupita Infante’s version of “El Canto Del Bracero” — originally sung by her grandfather Pedro Infante in the 1950’s — is an inspired take on the historic ranchera song. The powerful message regarding the strenuous experience of immigrants as they trekked to various parts of the U.S. is one that generations of listeners can empathize with. Lupita’s silvery tone and poised delivery of this oral history are evident in this live performance. The heartwarming cherry on top was Lupita’s grito at the end, mirroring the one her grandfather did. — Chelsea Quezada
Robot95 - “Loquera (feat. Jesse Baez)”
Kevin Gutierrez, aka Robot95, bids possessive lovers and jealousy-fueled entanglements adieu on his latest track, “Loquera.” The Mexicali-based artist blurs the lines between R&B and hip-hop with brawny 808s and glassy synths as he confronts the growing emotional baggage and flexes globetrotting and flying internationally. Guatemalan R&B crooner Jesse Baez swoops in with his two cents and syrupy falsettos in this catchy and more celebratory than sad-sacking single. – Nayeli Portillo
Bodine feat. Zefanio - “Nalgaje”
The new Bodine is out, and while the entire EP is worth a listen, a standout is “Nalgaje,” a serene track carried by luscious melodies, a tropical bounce, and a Zefanio verse that completes the entire experience. Quemo Lento is the latest project by the Puertorican-Dutch singer-songwriter and shines a more vulnerable light on her lyricism. “Quemo lento,” or slow burn, is a name that contrasts what Bodine brings to the table with this new EP. Exuberant tracks showcase the singer’s experimentation with infusing more international sounds ranging from amapiano to reggaeton. “Nalgaje” represents the relaxed yet passionate energy Bodine brings on Quemo Lento. It’s cool, collected, and driven in praising the holy bounty that is the curvy body. It’s an ode to something beautiful and worthy of praise, a hymnal to be rung on the grimiest of speakers. – Alan Baez
Meth Math - “Trenzas”
Meth Math’s Chupetones will probably be regarded as a landmark album of the year, as their latest single and music video from it gives testament to it. All sides of Meth Math are present in “Trenzas,” from the cutesy little melodies to the autotuned vocal hooks to the subwoofer-rattling dembow, giving us perhaps the quintessential track by this artist. The track even takes a slight turn to the noisy and scary as it progresses before the hooks get another round to reel listeners back in. “Trenzas” is a total avant-perreo masterpiece, ready to push the limits as well as get asses moving. — Marcos Hassan
Marcus Mackey - “Good Boy Gone”
Having Puerto Rican and African-American roots but born in California, Marcus Mackey has spent the past few years using music as a way to explore his identity and a conduit for his personal growth. His newest single, “Good Boy Gone,” touches on those feelings within the framework of a hyperpop-tinged jam. Singing for himself as much as for others, the lyrics touch on the reconciliation one must go through with oneself to go forward as a more realized person. It’s a deep subject for a track that’s also eminently catchy, but that’s part of Mackey’s appeal as an artist. — Juan J. Arroyo
Brandon Margary - “Está Conmigo”
Though based in NYC, Brandon Margary has remained one of the more intriguing indie rockers out of the Dominican scene in recent years, releasing a string of songs that put him in the same groovy universe as Giorgio Siladi and Solo Fernández. However, his new single “Está Conmigo,” produced alongside Diego Raposo and MAELOO, is a playful, surfy slice of synthpop that ponders the unclear process of letting go of something or someone to move forward with your life. – Richard Villegas