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 Baby Rasta & Gringo with Nio García and Casper Mágico, Pachyman, and Garoto 3000. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Baby Rasta & Gringo, Nio García, Casper Mágico - "Pichaera"
Old-school reggaeton elements continue to inspire new bangers today. Baby Rasta & Gringo teamed up with Nio García and Casper Mágico to prove once again that old-school hitmakers and newer generations of el movimiento can co-exist and make perreo magic together. In “Pichaera,” the artists’ distinctive vocals rap over a sensual and booming beat mixed with menacing synths that will have you automatically hit replay to dance all over again. What else could we expect from the OGs and the artists behind the hit “Te Boté”? – Jeanette Hernandez
Pachyman - “Trago Coqueto”
LA-based multi-instrumentalist Pachyman steps out of the shadows of his own machines and production wizardry and basks in the spotlight on his new track “Trago Coqueto,” the lead single from his upcoming new album Switched-On. Singing for the first time on one of his tracks, Pachy García tells us about a cheeky drink that tastes like the Caribbean and calls him back home to Puerto Rico, a feeling enforced by his nostalgic Jamaican-inspired sounds and the evocative sound of the Korg Poly-800 synth, which he deliberately used as a nod to the first generation of Boricuas experimenting with synthesizers. – Cheky
Karen Souza - “Embrujo”
Acclaimed bossa nova singer Karen Souza puts a smoldering touch on a classic bolero and her latest single from her forthcoming album Suddenly Lovers. Originally performed by composer and songwriter Napoleón Baltodano in the 1940s, Souza’s cover of “Embrujo” broadens the soundscape of the original with warm requinto, brass instruments, and rich double bass. Her cool, loungey vocal delivery adds to its jazz-influenced vintage flair that harkens back to the music of a dreamier and more romantic past. – Nayeli Portillo
Anselmo Ralph, Rick Ross, Soge Culebra - “Sola”
Angolan and Portuguese artist Anselmo Ralph’s first international release, “Sola,” is a mighty collaboration with Spanish artist Soge Culebra and hip-hop icon Rick Ross. On collaborating with Ross, Ralph says it’s “something he’s dreamed of for a long time.” The single is undoubtedly an earworm; it’s a bright reggaeton and afrobeats fusion with a pleasantly surprising outro. All three artists appear in the music video directed by Claudia Batalhão, which is an incredible moment for Portugal’s top artist. — Chelsea Quezada
Epilogio - “Pirámide”
Epilogio’s debut album, Modo, has been a slow-burn success, still garnering new fans and goodwill since its release in 2018. After an agonizing wait, they’re finally ready to drop their sophomore LP later this year. The Puerto Rican band has already released a few singles, and this week’s “Pirámide” is the best yet. It’s a hypno-rock trip that embeds sitar strums, courtesy of musician Peré Oudav, into a rapturous narrative of seduction and mirages. The album’s concept involves a pill that provokes lucid dreams, and it’s easy to see from this song’s lyrics and the video’s Fantastic Planet-esque visuals how that can play out in creative ways. — Juan J. Arroyo
Garoto 3000 - “Não Precisa DJ”
One of Argentina’s most underrated electronic projects is Defensa, a propulsive, convulsive duo that began melding techno, reggaeton, and hyperpop long before these genres became South American underground tent poles. As each of its founding members unspools their own exploratory solo projects, Garoto 3000 is quickly emerging as a local production force, melding evocative piano ballads and euphoric baile funk on his latest single, “Não Precisa DJ.” Influenced by his upbringing in São Paulo and an adolescence spent twirling in Buenos Aires nightclubs, the track is a rollercoaster of nostalgia and hedonism you won’t soon forget. – Richard Villegas
Drims - “NQNQTNQ”
Monterrey, Mexico’s Drims deals with some deliciously retro music that deals with heartfelt emotions and catchy melodies. You can feel the yearning and slight desperation in the lovelorn lyrics of “No Quiero Nada Que Tú No Quieras,” which deals with being transfixed by the person they want to be with. This feeling is supported by some irresistible melodies that are catchy and maudlin, tapping into a wealth of power pop that’s as lush as the background harmonies that will make you believe that true love is found everywhere. — Marcos Hassan
CLUBZ - “Discomanía”
CLUBZ is finally getting ready to drop an album again. In this second single, “Discomanía,” the duo meshes funk, disco, and an attractive heavy electro-bass line that continues to categorize them as one of Monterrey’s most beloved independent acts in Mexico’s music scene. As far as the lyrics go, the electronically-infused vocalist pleads about wanting more than the minimum, although he recognizes the other person is scared to take the leap. With the album’s new single and their first single “Cortes Modernos” out, we can expect an emotional yet groovy album release—and we’re more than ready for it. – Jeanette Hernandez
Demetrio - “Amantis Prestigiosa”
After sharing a sole track (“Op. 33”) back in 2021, Demetrio, the Argentine-Spanish trio from Bustarviejo, right outside Madrid, is back in the game with a whole new album, which they’re now previewing with “Amantis Religiosa.” In little over three minutes and using only guitar, bass, drums, and a teeny bit of synths, Demetrio shows us its unique brand of tropical-infused stoner rock with psych tendencies and a knack for surf. But if that description doesn’t pique your curiosity, hit play and get sucked into this trip of a song in only seconds. It’s an instrumental maze you might want to get lost into. – Cheky
Caro Esquer, Fermín - “A la luna”
Sonora-based R&B singer and songwriter Caro Esquer expels an unrequited love and taps member of hip-hop quintet The Guadaloops and producer Fermín for the fiery “A la luna.” While tracks like “Abril” and “Pantera” revealed Esquer’s sultrier side, “A la luna” pairs more visceral and introspective musings with the darker, more downtempo electronic palette of artists like UK trip-hop act Portishead, one of the singer’s more notable influences. But it’s not all anguish and self-deprecation as she muses about forging a new life path amid the rubble through silky verses, keeping her head up high. – Nayeli Portillo
Paz Court - “Ser Humano”
The second single off of Paz Court’s upcoming fourth album Casa is “Ser Humano,” an introspective and existential glimpse at the state of the world. The Chilean singer-songwriter urges us to reexamine our place in the universe and figure out how to save ourselves. The eerie instrumental combined with Court’s guttural voice relays the desperation. The timing of the release of “Ser Humano” is notable because she just celebrated the birth of her daughter, going hand-in-hand with getting back to our roots. — Chelsea Quezada
N. Hardem, SHANTÉH - “Crisis de Papel”
Colombian hip-hop is thriving. Whether we’re talking blockbuster boom bap from Alcolirykoz or the afro-futurist rhymes of Dawer X Damper, there’s no question hard bars move mountains. Melding traditionalist and avant sensibilities, Bogotá rapper N. Hardem has become a hip-hop authority with a string of searing, impressionistic records, including Rhodesia (2018) and Verdor (2021). As he prepares to unveil his next album, production now skews electrified and robust, perfectly encapsulated by the latest single, “Crisis de Papel.” Featuring guest vocals from London chanteuse SHANTÉH and beats by Colombian production all-star Hi-Kymon, the track lays urgently into overcrowded cities and the invisible borders that hold us captive, causing us to prioritize hustle and paper over human connection. – Richard Villegas
Cigarettes After Sex - “Bubblegum”
It’s amazing that a band can build their fanbase by word of mouth without relying on the internet’s cheap tricks. El Paso’s Cigarettes After Sex does this by keeping their formula simple: penning songs that are nostalgic and horny in equal parts, a combination that’s been an international formula for success. They continue this path in their new songs. “Bubblegum” is perhaps the catchier of the pair they just dropped; a stark, minimalist, and almost goth dirge that reveals tender melodicism at its center. Cigarettes After Sex is giving us a slowcore anthem for those yearning to be cuddled to sleep. — Marcos Hassan
AÇ / AIXA - “Te Siento”
Formerly known as AÇ, the Puerto Rican emerging artist says goodbye to her old moniker and reintroduces herself as AIXA (pronounced ai·ee·shuh) with her newest single, “Te Siento.” It’s a progressive house serenade with techno flairs, ripe for playing over strobing lights, and bass levels cranked to 11. Produced by Aris, one of the maddeningly few female producers on the island, the song arrives early in both of their nascent careers. However, its catchiness and promise are more than enough to make listeners continue paying attention to what they cook up next. — Juan J. Arroyo