This is a weekly compilation of bite-sized song & EP reviews from our music writers. Discover new favs, read nuanced criticism of the week’s hottest releases & more. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
iLe – “No Es Importante”
Ileana Cabra is ready to bring iLe back to us, with the full-length follow-up to Almadura slated for a summer release, and a gorgeous new single out now. “No Es Importante” is built with only three chords and little more than Cabra’s stunning vocals, creating an intimate space that’s just the right amount of tense to reflect on an old flame who has never really left her mind as she realizes that it’s time to get that eviction rolling. —Cheky
Daddy Yankee – “El Pony”
Serious question: how does Daddy Yankee, year after year, manage to hold his ground on the top of reggaeton? This is not to say he hasn’t slipped into some music traps over the past two decades, but we can all agree Yankee has an impressive rate of high-scoring tunes. “El Pony” is another one he will add to the list. The song juxtaposes classic dembow rhythmics and minimal, almost voided sections. If that’s not enough of an invite to perrear, Daddy Yankee switches up the speed of his rhymes and lines throughout. Indeed, he’s still the Big Boss. —Felipe Maia
Babe Mija – “Que Quede Claro”
Mysterious Mexicali vixen Babe Mija has returned after a year of silence with a brand new single titled “Que Quede Claro,” summoning the groovy sexiness of ‘90s R&B and a cache of collaborators. Featuring production from fellow Baja California producers Jully and Goeighta, the song spins a tale of heartbreak over lurching drums and Babe Mija’s hypnotic falsetto before a soaring guitar solo pushes the track into full blown post-relationship ecstasy. —Richard Villegas
Edgar Mondragón – “Encima de tu Ausencia”
Edgar Mondragón’s music has consistently relied on the twin pillars of melodicism and cinematographic arrangements, so it makes perfect sense that he’s now working on soundtracks. One of the highlights of the score to the film Mudar De Sueños, “Encima De Tu Ausencia,” is a theme that perfectly balances piano melodies and heavy electronic atmospherics, an evocative piece of music that can stand on its own as well as enhance the visual media it’s meant to bring to life. —Marcos Hassan
Itzel Noyz – “Beso Picor”
Mexico City singer, songwriter and producer Itzel Noyz continues her winning streak of avant R&B with “Beso Picor,” a brand new single about being repeatedly sucked back into the whirlpool of a toxic love. Steadily building on minimal percussion, “Beso Picor” is all about the climb; adorning the beat with samples of Chinese guzheng and Noyz’s own snarling vocal runs, with a climactic cornucopia of high hats and thumping bass lines. —Richard Villegas
Rata Negra - “Llorando”
Goth punks Rata Negra have been consistently making doom and gloom music that is also very fun to dance and sing along to. However, with the release of Una Vida Vulgar, the Madrid trio further explore their sound and let loose with tracks like “Llorando.” The track is short and to the point like the best punk band, but their sense of melody will give you flashbacks of La Movida Madrileña’s poppiest moments. —Marcos Hassan
Sally – “SHOOT” ft. KANIS, Chilla, Alicia., Joanna, Vicky R
Over the past three years, several French rappers have taken advantage of baile funk beats as a powerful aesthetical resource to bend boundaries and enlarge the francophone music universe. Following this path, upcoming Parisian rapper Sally pulled off an impressive womens-only club in her new single. “Shoot” feels like the French team who won the last World Cup, since each one fulfills its role with excellence—from Kanis’ daunting lines to Chilla’s pop moves, Alicia’s soulful singing, Joanna’s dreamlike vocals and Vicky R’s point-blank rhyming. Blend all of that together and you get the crème de la crème of the new French hip-hop and R&B. —Felipe Maia
Noaipre – “Playdoh Riddim (Brooklyn Version)”
Coruña-born, Barcelona-based producer Rohe Rodriguez is back with a brand-new EP under his Noaipre moniker titled The Nightshift. “Playdoh Riddim” stands out as it kicks off with a Neptunes vibe that reveals a special skill to filter 2000s hip-hop influences the correct way. Rodriguez populates the stereo spectrum with ear-tickling percussion and scarce melodic elements, put together to make us dance like the Y2K is coming to get us. —Cheky