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 Doris Anahí, GALE with Bruses, and Álvaro Díaz with Tainy. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Doris Anahí - "Sin Vergüenzas"
Artist manager turned rising singer Doris Anahí nurses a broken heart and lets the tarot cards do the talking on “Sin Vergüenzas,” the latest from her upcoming Por Las Buenas EP. Mixing old-school soul with heart-wrenching mariachi, Anahí recounts the tale of a toxic romance through a cinematic visualizer. “Que el universo los cuiden/como a mi me dolio, Me hiciste libre/y por eso te agradezco,” Doris croons as she knocks back shots with a close friend. – Nayeli Portillo
GALE & Bruses - "Movie"
Bubblegum pop rock is back, thanks to GALE and Bruses. The two collaborators released their newest electrifying track, “Movie,” a fun, kiss-off anthem about getting over an ex-lover. The result? An upbeat synth-pop punk duet that echoes the playful IDGAF works of early 2000s figureheads like Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan, all while reminding us we’re the main characters of our lives. And if that is not enough, the song’s video perfectly captures how unserious life can be by featuring spooky storylines just in time to wrap up this year’s Halloween season. – Jeanette Hernandez
Álvaro Díaz, Tainy - “Fatal Fantasy”
Álvaro Díaz reunites with Grammy-winning producer Tainy on “Fatal Fantasy,” an electronic reggaeton journey through a breakup and quickly finding someone new. The name of the song is a play on its explicit subject, but Díaz adds that it comes from “classic underground reggaeton records from Puerto Rico,” and it’s a banger. The duo debuted the track at last night’s Rolling Stone en Español Awards and will be on Díaz’s upcoming album, Sayonara, out early next year. — Chelsea Quezada
Silvana Estrada - “Qué Problema”
Only days away from her three nights at the Walt Disney Hall with Gustavo Dudamel and The L.A. Philharmonic, Mexican artist Silvana Estrada releases “Qué Problema,” her gorgeous new single. It’s a moving number in 5/4 where Estrada poetically reflects on her problem: a romantic relationship where she’s the only one willing to try and push forward. Her voice flutters in the middle of this crossroad, perfectly complemented with cello and clarinet arrangements, unable to find an answer to her dilemma. – Cheky
Policías y Ladrones - “más tiempo”
Not hiding their gift for catchy melodies, Mexico’s Policias y Ladrones have evolved into dreamy jangle pop extraordinaires, and “más tiempo” is a prime example of their transformation. Here, the verses display playfulness and catchy ideas, but then the bridge arrives and plunges directly into the melancholy the previous section only hinted about. While this brief detour is only present early in the song, it adds a new depth to the shimmering verses that follow the formula of the first part of the song. “más tiempo” gives us an autumnal song that captures both the elation and sadness inherited of the season. — Marcos Hassan
Rizomagic - “Konimba”
With their kaleidoscopic 2021 debut Voltaje Raizal, Colombian electro-roots duo Rizomagic proved one of the most inventive acts to emerge from Bogota’s tropicalist new school in recent years. With their new album Marimbitiaos, producers Diego Manrique and Edgar Marún are looking to the teachings of the Pacific Coast, melding ancestral marimba melodies with their signature glitchy beats. While collaborations with Bejuco and Montañera certainly stand out, it’s album closer “Konimba” that fully harnesses the dizzying potential of these clashing sounds, colliding chiptune loops and zooming marimba progressions into a euphoric, rhythmic explosion. – Richard Villegas
Bebo Dumont x Fux Beat - “Beso con Sal”
When you live in paradise and the end of summer feels more like a suggestion than a fact, you can make beach bops all year round. With that in mind, producer Fux Beat teams up with singer and instrumentalist Bebo Dumont for “Besos con Sal,” a breezy and catchy tune that’s as hard to get out of your ears as sand. Bebo’s specialty lowkey has been road trip soundtracks, such as “Guarapo y Flor” and local classic “Llévame,” so teaming up with the similarly-aligned Fux Beat makes for an ideal match. The song knows when to slow down the beat and when to ramp it up, perfect for dancing on the shore under the sun. — Juan J. Arroyo
Newen Afrobeat & Lido Pimienta - “Grietas”
Chilean ensemble Newen Afrobeat offers a taste of their forthcoming album with “Grietas.” The single is a fiery dose of swirling rhythms and stacks of bustling percussion set in motion by lyrical themes of ecological justice. Colombian-Canadian singer and songwriter Lido Pimienta swoops in for an energizing verse that taps into spirituality and environmental connectedness. – Nayeli Portillo
That Mexican OT - “Cowboy in New York”
The Texan native That Mexican OT – or Virgil René Gazca – is making waves in the Latine rap space. In “Cowboy in New York,” his signature deep, hoarse voice is backed by mesmerizing, menacing piano keys. At the same time, the Mexican-American rapper drops verses about missing his late mother, smacking haters, and the joys of smoking cannabis all in less than three minutes, taking us on a lyrical journey from start to finish. Representing a different face of Latine music, the emerging artist is currently promoting his recent album Lonestar Luchador, which peaked at No. 59 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. – Jeanette Hernandez
Xavi, Tony Aguirre - “Modo DND”
19-year-old rising star Xavi is back with possibly his most real track yet while teaming up with corrido singer Tony Aguirre. Referencing do not disturb mode, “Modo DND” is a self-written sierreño song about having tunnel vision on your goals and not wanting to get distracted. Xavi’s recent singles have racked up millions of streams, so it’s fair to say that “Modo DND” will soon join the club. We can only assume that we’re on DND now, given the fact that Xavi is in the studio cooking up more music as we speak. — Chelsea Quezada
Jaloo - “Ah!”
From Belém, Brasil, Jaloo considers the songs on Mau, her third full-length, the most daring music she’s ever done. And with the album track “Ah!” as an example, we have to agree. For this song, she blends hyperpop aesthetics and funk carioca rhythmic patterns, using only a handful of elements and her voice to create an enormous jam. Front and center, we find Jaloo feeling herself in a dimly lit room, wondering why her lover isn’t picking up the phone when she needs them to quench her thirst, as she shows herself at her most seductive. – Cheky
Montañera - “Santa Mar”
Like listening to the spirits of yore through the voice of London-via-Bogotá singer María Mónica Gutiérrez, “Santa Mar” makes us feel that the realm of the ancestors and ours are closer than we think. The song is ripe for her ethereal style to remain in place, bringing in more of a folkloric flavor thanks to the prominence of marimba and the choir of traditional Colombian singers Las Cantadoras de Yerba Buena. “Santa Mar” is the perfect song for the season when we reflect on those who have left us. — Marcos Hassan
Chocolate Remix - “Ey Maricón”
Argentine rap and reggaeton provocateur Chocolate Remix is back with a new single titled “Ey Maricón,” taking aim at the colorful cat calls she receives from people on the street who can’t seem to discern her gender identity at first glance. Not quite an evisceration, the song lampoons pointless gender markers over a merenhouse-style beat that harkens to ‘90s marquesina bops from Proyecto Uno and Locomía. A Gonzalo Mitcoff-directed music video accompanies the song, shot in Choco’s Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Boca. She invited her neighbors and a plethora of queer dancers and artists to revel together to show how diversity can help build a more united and equitable community. – Richard Villegas
Mani Lapussh, Kevtopo - “Puerto Rican Baby”
Nigerian afrobeats artist Mani Lapussh crosses the Atlantic to team up with multifaceted singer Kevtopo for a steamy ode to the latter’s homeland ladies, appropriately titled “Puerto Rican Baby.” Lapussh has been steadily rising in estimation the last year with his takes on afro-dancehall, while Kevtopo recently released his buzzy debut album that showed off his talent for tackling different sounds and rhythms. Here, they gel together effortlessly, proving once more that African and Caribbean music are still a sorely untapped fusion of genres. The video has them both showing off to viewers exactly how to enjoy the track — dancing and vibing your heart out with una baby at your side. — Juan J. Arroyo