Photo by NINED.
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 Darell, Gepe, and Cimafunk with Michaël Brun and Keyon Harrold. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Following his remix of “Lollipop” with Ozuna and Maluma, Puerto Rican artist and rapper Darell is back with “Por Ti Conocí el Amor.” The smooth reggaeton earworm features Darell’s deep, grungy vocals as he narrates a love story that didn’t last. Contrary to the kiss-off lyrics, the song offers a hypnotic, sensual melody to grind to, perhaps making it the perfect track to win back an ex-lover. – Jeanette Hernandez
On this New Music Friday, we’re trekking to a beach during a fiery sunset. Gepe’s inviting “playaplaya” gives off exactly that vibe. The Chilean musician is always experimenting with distinct Latine sounds; this time, he’s leaning into more of a slow-tempo, Cuban bolero style. Depicting a secure and confident relationship in the lyrics and music video directed by Bernardo Quesney, the song reflects their highs and lows. Between “playaplaya” and the folksy “Paloma,” Gepe is hiding some Easter eggs to let fans guess what kind of musical direction his next album is headed. — Chelsea Quezada
Fans of Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodríguez, aka Cimafunk, have been eagerly waiting for the follow-up to 2021’s soul-nourishing El Alimento. While there is no official word on a lengthier forthcoming release, the funk Afro-futurist is back with a timely prelude to the summer on the feelgood anthem “Playa Noche.” Accompanied by an old-school VHS-style music video, “Playa Noche” blazes with Cimafunk’s naturally laidback level of cool as he rhapsodizes about a sublime, sun-soaked oasis over smooth grooves. – Nayeli Portillo
To celebrate her signing to the Big Dada label, Girl Ultra is giving us a song that sounds like dance music with a heart of gold. “rimel” continues the artist’s exploration of moody-yet-lively electronica: catchy yet understated, broken-hearted but ready to party. There’s a hint of bloghaus to the track that is accentuated by the fashions seen in the accompanying video, giving it a layer of nostalgia to the drunken melancholy of the track. Girl Ultra is performing this weekend at Coachella, where she’ll surely transport the audience to a Mexico City apartment party in the mid-’00s. — Marcos Hassan
Musician power couple Marciel and Kristina Miranda moved to Los Angeles from Havana in 2016, bringing their indie rock-by-way-of-Cuba sensibility to the West Coast. In 2022, joined by Cuban-Puerto Rican percussionist Richard Herrera, their band MYRANDAS began to be more overly influenced by popular Caribbean music. Their last single, “CUÉNTALE,” took a cue from the alternative Latine fusions that have taken over the genre. Their new song “Necesito Q Me Distraigas” finds the trio wading into tried ‘n’ trued perreo as they trade coquettish bars over a reggaetón beat. As they continue to expand the palette of their offerings, they’re making sure to bring the sazón with a live band edge. — Juan J. Arroyo
Prolific Dominican producer Yendruy Aquinx has unveiled a sprawling new album titled Soul, oscillating between wild spurts of ambient, jersey club, and everything in between. “Sushi Done W This” is a throbbing dance floor scorcher featuring production flairs from Kino Rose, Diego Raposo, and Eric Savi, pondering a romance on the rocks and transitioning from the album’s contemplative kick-off into a wilder, more whimsical half. — Richard Villegas
Globetrotting British producer El Búho is opening his vault and sharing previously unreleased music, including edits he’s been playing on his DJ sets for almost a decade. The first volume of his Hive Cuts releases includes his edit of “Estrella del Alba” by the extinct Argentine duo Lulacruza, formed by producer Uji and vocalist Alejandra Ortiz. Here, he takes the original moving prayer to the Sun and gives it the club treatment, making it fit for welcoming the dawn on the dancefloor. – Cheky
Bringing some Mexicali flare via his new home base in Colorado, YNG NAZ is officially sharing his latest single, “Sal De Mi Mente.” Originally catching viral waves across TikTok, the heartbreak song trails the darkness left behind after a partner leaves with the moon, the stars, and the love you gave them. It even captured the attention of sierreño sweetheart DannyLux – who soon after invited the artist to perform with him on stage at Vive Latino. The sensational reaction made the two jump into the studio to record the track together in Mexico City. The result is an organic collaboration fueled by intertwining guitar strums and mellowed, longing pleas to escape the lingering thoughts of a past lover who’s been left ruminating in their minds. – Jeanette Diaz
Tito Double P and Jasiel Nuñez are working hard to make names for themselves – and this joint track is the latest testament. Their newest collaboration, “Lujo y Detalle,” expands música mexicana’s norm by adding subtle tip-toeing keyboard-like sounds and an enthralling high-pitch synthesizer dancing tinge on top of the genre’s traditional guitar strings, dominating bass, and rhythmic brass instruments. Another particular element is the contrast between both artists’ voices, showing off the diversity of Peso Pluma’s Double P Records roster. – Jeanette Hernandez
There’s no one quite like Finnish-Mexican musician Joalin, who dropped her exhilarating new single “Bikini.” The track screams summer: dancing, a sandy beach, a beer with lime, and, of course, the titular bikini. Growing up in Playa del Carmen has likely influenced its energetic sound, with dembow-inspired beats speeding up and slowing down throughout it. Joalin even manifests success in the lyrics, which are as playful as they are rowdy. The 22-year-old admits that “Bikini” contrasts her past work — including her last single, “La Chica-cá” — but authenticity is paramount for this artist on the rise. — Chelsea Quezada
Two months ago, Madi Diaz dropped her critically acclaimed album Weird Faith, and she has wasted no time in sharing a new track that’s every bit as emotionally rewarding as the best tracks on it. “One Less Question” doesn’t stray far from Diaz’s country-tinged folk style thanks to her vocals, displaying a range of subtle emotions in each syllable while keeping everything melodic. In this song, the lyrics drive the point home with a poet-like fine-tuned pen, questioning many things only to deliver the punchline: her loved one is an affirmation in a world of doubt. Diaz is one of the most cathartic singer-songwriters of our times. — Marcos Hassan
Brazil and Jamaica’s love for reggae brings together two of their country’s hottest emerging artists in the genre, with São Paulo’s own Dada Yute and Yungg Muta, grandson of acclaimed Rastafari poet Mutabaruka. Their new collab track, “Mi Amor,” dives into the harmonious themes of their philosophies, centering love and adoration. In this case, the focus is on a woman who mesmerizes them utterly, but their hope is that the sentiment is shared between all lovers “on all four corners of the Earth.” The song is elevated by an animated reggae beat that makes sure to liven up the dancefloor enough for the love they preach to flow through everybody who hears it. — Juan J. Arroyo
Oscillating between R&B, synthpop, and electrified samba, Brazilian trio Tuyo has unveiled a dazzling new album titled Paisagem. Thumping opening track “Devagar” is built on hypnotic bass lines and IDM percussion and features a scratchy, sensual verse from rapper JOCA, setting the stage for a subsequent album run of cinematic, waist-winding bliss. — Richard Villegas
Cloaked in ‘80s darkness, “Todo Importa Tanto,” the new single by Spanish quintet Amigas! and title track of their upcoming debut full-length due April 12, is a reflection on the overwhelming feeling of experiencing everything intensely. Using timeless songwriting as their stepping stone, the band creates a three-minute nostalgia-packed epic that serves as a caring shoulder you can lean against every time things feel like too much to handle, reassuring you that things always work out in the end. – Cheky
Sharing a heartwarming indie-folk ballad ahead of his debut project, Yemito releases his single “Vamos.” Serenity surrounds its acoustically gentle melody as his rustic vocals weave through the reassurance of a loving hand to hold and the simple, cleansing nature of crying through to better days. There’s a peaceful optimism to the track that melts away the hard edges of the world with a mantra-like chorus that reminds you that nothing is eternal and everything is fleeting. The accompanying visuals mimic the song’s dreamy nature as it journeys the emotional relationship between life and death. It even tapped into elements that reimagine a film cult classic The Seventh Seal to help emphasize themes of how delicate the perceived line between momentary and eternal can be. –Jeanette Diaz
