19 New Songs to Listen to This Week From Isma to J Noa & Planta Industrial

Released on what is considered National Trans Visibility Day in Brazil, Isma’s debut solo album, Made In COHAB,is a personal project that illustrates the artist’s history, struggles, and hard work through heavy pop, trap, funk, and hip-hop beats. With tracks that embrace her truth and allow for self-expression in visceral ways, the project also enlists the collaboration of artists with similar backgrounds as Isma, such as Monna Brutal, MC Soffia, Katy da Voz, Nath Fischer, and others. For the single “Made In COHAB,” the singer brings in the talents of female rappers Tasha & Tracie to reflect upon how being raised in the less privileged parts of society has made them fiercer and stronger. Overall, the album is a great debut that proves Isma has her own story to tell. — Júlia Henn

After taking post-punk to the next level with their own Dominican take on the genre, Planta Industrial has hooked up with J Noa to tackle another aggressive, fun, and danceable style of yore. On “KHE NO!,” the Dominican rapper and Bronx duo channel big beat artists like The Prodigy, mixing electronic beats with guitar riffs, rough vocals, and a punk attitude to deliver an anthem for the discontent, raging against anyone who wants us to conform to societal standards. “KHE NO!” is a perfect soundtrack to raise our voices against oppressive forces, a crucial survival tactic in this era. — Marcos Hassan

Panamanian reggaetonera Lorna’s iconic

?si=qpyPP3le22iOkxgJ”>“Papi Chulo” is making a comeback with “PAPICHULO X EL MALI,” fueled by El Malilla and Pablito Mix’s modern touch. More than two decades after its original release (2003), El Mali jumped on a new mix, making it his own with his signature deep, raunchy flow, which has made him one of this generation’s leading reggaeton mexa stars in the last few years. Featuring the internationally known hook, El Mali stars in the remix with new lyrics spearheaded by Lorna’s unmatched aura that made her popular in the early aughts. With refreshed Y2K offerings like “PAPICHULO X EL MALI” and last year’s “Golosa Remix,” El Malilla is bridging two generations, featuring hisje ne sais quoi that continues to entice his audience. –Jeanette Hernandez

Serving the complete opposite of the “clean girl” atmosphere, Argentinian icon MS NINA delivers “Sucia,” an intense and gripping ride where she is joined by Honduran diva Isabella Lovestory over a delightfully unpredictable track laid by French producer King Doudou. The chemistry between two queens has grown even stronger since their previous collab “Gateo.” Switching back and forth between techno and reggaeton beats with neck-cracking speed, this time they merge their powers to create an anthem for those who own their world rocking branded luxury and/or cheap online jewelry while feeling themselves as lethal, cute, and crazy. With lyrics like “a dirty mind but a pristine p***y,” this is the perfect track to proudly stomp down the dancefloor or a sidewalk with your fellow baddies. – La Morra Lisa

Coming together for the release of their five-track joint EP Jet Lag, J Castle and Lyanno showcase a shared vision shaped by movement, ambition, and lived experience. Track three, “Cullinan,” serves as the anchor of the project. Here, they reveal a hard-earned confidence and clarity, secure in who they are and where they stand after years of pouring blood, sweat, and tears into their craft. With that assurance comes room for a moment of intimate indulgence. Driven by sultry, seductive lyrics and complementary production that flows, the track places you directly in the club beside them, with lights brushing across your face, bodies packed tight, heat rising with the music. As the title suggests, the EP’s broader concept explores movement through cities, emotions, and most importantly, states of mind. It captures what jet lag truly feels like—exhaustion, intensity, disorientation, and moments of bliss. Drawing inspiration from the artists’ nonstop pace, endless flights, studio sessions, parties, intimate encounters, and fatigue, the project unfolds as a narrative where time blurs and adrenaline sets the rhythm. – Natasha Melina Argudo

Rising música mexicana star Delilah is starting her musical year off by leaning into full tenderness with the release of single “Luna de Miel.” On her latest, she returns back into her pop-leaning tendencies, stripping the production down into a ballad that glows in the quiet intensity of new love. Her vocals carry an atmospheric softness through layered harmonies and delivery, capturing that fleeting honeymoon phase window where falling in love feels both all-consuming, and also impossibly fragile. The song lingers through that all too familiar feeling of savoring the sweetness, while acknowledging how easy it feels for it to all slip away. Thankfully, her honeyed vocals help guide us through the emotional push and pull with such warmth, it can’t help but leave behind a gentle optimistic tinge to it all. The song is a sweet reminder that there is beauty in loving fully, especially once you’re aware that feeling might not last forever. But this one’s to always hoping. – Jeanette Diaz

Fresh from performing in Mexico City’s iconic Zócalo, Mexican artist Valeria Jasso is ready to show us what she’s been working on for a year, as she just announced her upcoming debut album with a bachata titled “Solo Tú.” Inspired by the likes of Juan Luis Guerra and Vicente García, Jasso recurs to classic bachata instrumentation and aesthetics, but she filters the whole thing through a dreamy, whimsical lens that’s very on-brand, ultimately creating a take on the genre that feels inventive. Her stunning croon showers us with loving words inspired by her own relationship with her boyfriend, reflecting on how just remembering your significant other or even just a kiss from them can make your soul feel. – Cheky

The legendary Chilean experimental band Congelador is coming up on their 30th anniversary, appropriately celebrating with a new album titled Distancia that thrusts their ruminant rock sound into rapturous electronica. If you’re just now taking the plunge, you might as well start in the deep-end with “La Meridional,” a 14-minute rollercoaster ride swerving through optimistic jangle pop, into machine gun kraut improvisation, and crescendoing with a wave of prismatic synthpop. Featuring guest vocals from folk singer-songwriter and visual artist Laurela, the song is impressive in both its ambition and versatility, perfectly at home on the soundtrack for a charming A24 indie or on the stage of an avant music festival like Mutek. — Richard Villegas

The team behind Afunkalipsis has joined up with rapper, producer, band leader, and all-around MC Aurelio Adasme to resurrect a heretofore unknown music genre of Puerto Rico. Overshadowed by the peak of salsa and rise of underground/reggaetón, the 1970s and ’80s saw a unique avant-garde funk sound emerge from dozens of local bands and groupings. It never took off, becoming relegated to dustbins and abandoned cassette tapes. Now, Afunkalipsis and Adasme are slowly digitalizing and mastering these tapes and sharing the music with the world. Its first official release: “Otro Tempo” by Cuarteto Esquivel, from 1983. It’s a moving, experimental-yet-fresh sound that feels criminal to have been ignored for so long. — Juan J. Arroyo

With a new project on the way, Miami cumbia outfit Sonora Tukukuy’s final song of 2026 gets the video treatment. “Shame on You” is a standout for the Miami group, displaying an incredible performance of character and colorful personality. Tukukuy is the latest group adding their take to the wave of neo-cumbia, and the latest embodies the sentiment shared with the name of their upcoming project, Brave New Cumbia. While “Shame on You” wears its cumbia influence on its sleeve, the implementation of other musical genres is what initially pulled me, especially with the heavy, warped guitar rift. This warped effect is just one of many elements that culminate throughout the song. It’s bold, but never brash, but keeps a dynamic rhythm coupled with a post punk riddled chorus. – Alan Baez

Brazilian singer-songwriter Jáder sings out his innermost feelings of longing and yearning in this beautiful collaboration with Jaloo. “Volta” showcases the similarities between both artists’ tones in a duet that focuses on the simplicity of the feeling of wanting back the person you let go. The title of the song is the imperative form of the verb “voltar,” which means “come back” in Portuguese. It’s a request, a prayer, a wish to get those happy and simple moments back into your life along with that one person that made them possible. All of this enveloped in a delicious packaging of northeastern Brazilian rhythms make for a time-stopping hit made for a slow and sensual dance. – Júlia Henn

With their new album Un Destello De Luz, Costa Rica’s Adiós Cometa prove to be rising stars on the global shoegaze scene. One of the highlights of the album is “Una Vida En Otra Parte,” a song that bridges the gap between classic sounds of the genre and contemporaries like Nothing and Mint Field. Guitars swirl, drums march on, and vocals provide an anthemic outlet to lyrics that focus on wanting to escape, with just a hint of classic indie to keep the song rocking. “Una Vida En Otra Parte” not only showcases Adiós Cometa’s signature sound in all it’s glory, it also points to Latin American shoegaze’s future.— Marcos Hassan

Colombia’s música popular and música mexicana make magic when they intertwine. The latest gem? “Te Supero.” On Jessi Uribe and Eden Muñoz’s new collaboration, penned by the hitmakers themselves, the duo locks in an emotional ballad featuring rhythmic string and brass arrangements that highlight both genres’ expertise. Lyrically, the duo takes turns warning their partner that the end is coming if something doesn’t change. And with a powerful accordion, tuba, and horns, the two figureheads deliver a danceable regional track to share on the dance floor with a lover who needs a reality check. I mean, what better way to express yourself and get your point across than with a sentimental banger? – Jeanette Hernandez

A glitchy electronic sound reminiscent of a dark and moody video game loading screen is disrupted by a fast-paced beat over which KALIFRN, an artist based in Mexico City, passionately sings about wanting to have another person’s nails digging in his skin while biting each other’s necks, sinfully giving in to being both warmth and nourishment for one another. With the almost hypnotic feeling of a digital music box and sudden interference crackling along the track, the atmosphere achieved is cold in the best way possible, and the lyrics turn “Azul” into an intense love song for the modern vampire. Having started his career writing and producing for other projects, KALIFRN aims to delve into a more experimental era in the new stage of his own project while remaining true to themes he has previously explored, such as vulnerability and an unavoidable yet stylishly inhabited darkness. – La Morra Lisa

Venezuelan artist Orestes Gomez has officially released his new album No Me Fui Porque Quise, a title heavy with meaning that directly references the political climate of his native Venezuela. Bringing in his compatriota Micro TDH for the collaboration on “Como Convencerme” felt inevitable. The track opens as a smooth, soulful R&B, driven by persistent percussion and Micro TDH’s soft, lush vocals. Together, they explore the weight of convincing oneself that someone won’t be there anymore as everything is slipping away, in moments when breathing feels impossible, inner security disappears along with everything else. Midway through, the song flips entirely. An underground rap beat takes over as Gomez delivers bar after bar, asserting his place on a level few can reach. Unbothered by jealousy or negativity, he speaks from pure confidence. He knows he’s the best because he believes he’s the best, and when you’re competing only with yourself, no one else can truly compete. – Natasha Melina Argudo

Brazilian artist and producer Siso ushers in a new chapter with “O Tombo,” the final preview ahead of his upcoming album Ferro e Fogo. With an indie-pop cadence, the track carries a melodic lightness while also shaped by organ flourishes, hollowed percussion and soft choral touches that give it an alluring textured motion. That sonic buoyancy works well in contrast to its emotional core, one that draws from inherited family lore. Siso transforms the story of his grandfather’s fall and long return from memory loss into its own meditation on resilience. The song drifts gently through realizations between loss and recovery, treating falling as something cyclical rather than detrimentally absolute or final. Its visuals mirror this spirit as he takes a steady walk across Rio de Janeiro, where movement forward over destination itself becomes a part of the meaning. It’s an uplifting take on survival, a counter argument that resiliency can endure in softness and the small steps forward too. – Jeanette Diaz

After Brazilian artists Paulo Novaes and João Menezes traveled to Ubatuba to run away from the city of São Paulo’s hustle and bustle of and get inspired by the location’s beachy setting, their new joint project Coisa Híbrida was born, and out of the 20 songs they created, they picked ten to shape their eponymous debut album. Coisa Híbrida includes “Sempre que penso em você,” a breezy pop-rock number that’s making us daydream with its romantic scent and soft vocals and instrumentation. Right in the center of a piano-and-guitar conversation, Novaes and Menezes trade verses, thinking about a relationship that isn’t done just yet, as they can’t stop thinking about their love interests and how they want them back in their lives. – Cheky

In a fertile Argentine pop scene where maximalism reigns supreme, bautibit has emerged as a gentler alternative with expertly crafted melodies and understated, shimmering production, showcased throughout his excellent 2025 LP, bautiFM. Now he’s unveiled “Personal,” kicking off a new era of infectious pop hooks while ramping up his beat palette with zippy Afro-house, resulting in a dance floor scorcher evocative of Emilia and Oklou. “Esta vez es personal / déjame quererte ya / ya no puedo esperar / para verte una vez más,” he coos on the love-drunk chorus, ramping up the romance with a flush of acoustic guitars that will also leave you walking on sunshine. — Richard Villegas

Budding Latine dreampop royalty Andria Rose is back with a new single, “Sucker,” and she’s demonstrating she hasn’t lost a step entering 2026. This time, she melds the recognizable psych-pop vibes with some funk twangs and blues-y licks, as she teases an unnamed partner with some tough love and risqué temptations. This far into her career, it’s easy to feel Andria is talking to the listener themselves; are you going to follow her siren lure into the garden of her music, or are we going to be suckers? She’s waiting for your answer, but some of us are already there. — Juan J. Arroyo