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 Sael, Francisca Valenzuela, and Musiana. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Sael - “Un Cigarro”
Sael’s showing us a new face of his artistry. The Argentinean singer released “Un Cigarro,” a sentimental bachata-inspired track from his upcoming EP. What makes the song interesting is that he mixes trap elements with traditional tropical rhythms, making it his own innovative subgenre worth navigating. Though it’s his first bachata, Sael comes in with the utmost swagger, showcasing his vocal range—from his rapping to giving listeners a taste of his higher vocals—all while introducing more of his musical adaptability. – Jeanette Hernandez
Francisca Valenzuela - “Adentro”
“Si esto es lo que quiero, por que me duele tanto adentro?” croons singer-songwriter and all-around powerhouse Francisca Valenzuela beside a piano on the towering title track of her new record Adentro. The album drop follows her summerlong 20-show run of performances across the U.S. with brother and sister pop duo Jesse & Joy, which came to a close last week. “Adentro” builds to a symphonious but subtle intensity as Valenzuela draws from stormy depths and hashes out some post-breakup explorations. – Nayeli Portillo
Musiana - “Estrellas”
A piece literally a decade in the making, “Estrellas” was first composed by Venezuelan singer-songwriter Musiana about 10 years ago when she was still in college in Miami, FL. Caught in a freewriting flurry, she drew inspiration from what back then she felt was the magic of requited love. As she builds up to her upcoming debut album, SON DEL MAR, she outfits it with dreamy musical production from frequent collaborator César Rodríguez. She releases this gem out into the world, no doubt hoping it sparks in the listener the same one-way trip on a shooting star toward the punch-drunk young love that spurred her into writing it. — Juan J. Arroyo
Loyal Lobos - “El Rio”
Ahead of the release of her second EP of the year, LOBA VOL. 1, Loyal Lobos is back with “El Rio.” The new pop single sees her washing her past away in the river, feeling ready to love again. Hints of cumbia and vallenato on the track from her native Colombia are thoughtful ways to tie her music back to her culture, and the focal reggaeton beat is inviting. “El Rio” was co-produced by HoneyBoos and Evan Voytas and crafted into today’s dream pop with the help of synths. Loyal Lobos has an authentic point of view, and she says her upcoming EP feels like her “first official statement.” — Chelsea Quezada
Chico Unicornio, Thompson - “Barceloneta”
Peruvian producer and multi-instrumentalist Chico Unicornio comes through with this lively and danceable tune. “Barcerloneta” takes the form of a glitchy electronic tropicalia track that reaches for the past and the future at the same time. The beat and melodies are contagious, the bass slaps, guitars sing, keyboards float, and even some record scratches make for an amazing lo-fi mutant groove. With this song, Chico Unicornio becomes the life of the party by exploiting his weird side, letting his freak fly to stand out from the pack. “Barceloneta” is ready to take over the world in a modest way. — Marcos Hassan
Ana Frango Elétrico - “Electric Fish”
Carioca artist Ana Fainguelernt, aka Ana Frango Elétrico, returns this October with her third studio album, Me Chama de Gato Que Eu Sou Sua. Its first preview is the flavorful “Electric Fish.” Referencing Brazilian boogie and featuring delicious horn arrangements and space-age bass lines, Fainguelernt sings bittersweet words of a love that may not be good for her, but it’s just irresistible, as she falls right into their drunken arms and tobacco smell. – Cheky
Herbolaria, Elis Paprika - “Más De Lo Que Te Imaginas”
Sinaloan singer and producer Herbolaria is a rising star of Mexican indie pop, pairing lovelorn lyrics with propulsive and deliciously percussive beats. For her latest single, she’s teamed up with wailing rock queen Elis Paprika to tackle a cover of “Más De Lo Que Te Imaginas,” the ‘90s classic from Argentine electropop group The Sacados. This reimagining ramps up the BPMs and synthesized bass lines, driving the track into house territory as the pair frustratedly correspond with long-distance lovers who are too busy to answer their pleading messages. – Richard Villegas
Foudeqush - “rangerover”
Foudeqush is showing off her smooth, impeccable, and effortlessly cool talent with “rangerover.” In this new track, the Mexican electronic pop singer’s soft, inviting vocals are paired with a synth-pop tune coated with a deep bass R&B-influenced melody. Together, they provide a perfect end-of-summer indie bop about a flourishing love that has her seeing life with rose-colored glasses—a vibe that she excellently executes in her music-making. Ah, to be young and in love. – Jeanette Hernandez
Sofía Campos - “Hace Rato”
Argentine singer-songwriter Sofía Campos is back with her new record Lisboa, the follow-up to last year’s Latin Grammy-nominated Lugares Imaginarios. Recorded between Campos’s native Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, and Mexico City, Lisboa’s nine songs “encapsulate the ethos of a love letter.” “Hace Rato” is the perfect blend of folk-pop steered by sunny acoustic guitar chords and soft, glimmery hooks reminiscent that is certain to command the attention of Silvana Estrada and Carla Morrison fans. – Nayeli Portillo
Charlie Renée x Deborah Blues - “Come Thru”
A month after she kicked off her return to music with “Again,” Charlie Renée is quickly back and this time bringing along another M.I.A. songstress. On “Come Thru,” Renée teams up with Deborah Blues, who received acclaim as a member of Puerto Rican rap collective LA CIVDAD, She became a fan-favorite after collabs with Álvaro Díaz and Joyce Santana, along with solo projects like “HORAS.” Now, she and Renée unite their talented voices for a pop-R&B singalong perfect for dedicating to your crush. It’s the kind of track that, due to both Mauro’s boppy production and the gworl’s catchy lyrics, feels tailor-made to sing with a drink and a flirty smile. — Juan J. Arroyo
Valentina Rico - “Nuez”
Singer-songwriter Valentina Rico surprised fans with her newest single, “Nuez,” which is following up on her 3-month-old album Si Te Soy Sincera. The song’s title is a wordplay of “no es,” and the Colombian artist sings about feeling afraid to start a new relationship if this person isn’t the one. It’s a delicate song performed mostly on guitar, with production by Joel Iglesias and Diego Andrés Contento. Rico wrote “Nuez” by herself, and given the experience she’s had writing for artists like Paulina Rubio, Luis Fonsi, and others, it’s plain to see that she’s gifted. — Chelsea Quezada
Mint Field - "El Suspiro Cambia Todo"
This is the case of the title perfectly describing the song. “El Suspiro Cambia Todo” goes by like the titular sigh, a brief two-and-a-half minutes respite of dreamy soundscapes that functions like a reset for your synapses. Mexico’s Mint Field is no stranger to zero-gravity guitar music with gorgeous vocals, negative space, and uneasy beauty. However, they now excel by harnessing the power of those elements. Estrella Del Sol’s vocals reach a new realm of ethereal warmth, and the layers of instrumentation enhance the feeling, yet the emotional pull deep within the song is what will keep this track on repeat. — Marcos Hassan
Lienzos - “El Tiempo Se Va Bailando”
“¿Es delirio o esperanza?” Venezuelan artist Andrea González asks herself on “El Tiempo Se Va Bailando,” her latest single under her Lienzos moniker. The song is a fully-realized version of the promising sound she’s been exploring in the last few years, leaning towards an ‘80s palette and dreamy synths. Lyrically, she’s done missing the country that was ripped away from her, and she chooses to live in the present with her head held high in her hometown Maracay, not caring whether she’s being hopeful or just plain delirious. – Cheky
Epilogio - “Hangar”
Sounding like the long-lost Boricua sons of the Electric Light Orchestra, Epilogio has been teasing their upcoming LP Cromo Rx with a series of singles melding groovy bass lines, dreamy harmonies, and stylized sci-fi references. The latest gem comes with “Hangar,” an interstellar tale of unrequited love that finds our narrator traveling the expanse of space in search of a heart that will beckon him home. A studio effect made to sound like a distant satellite signal adds to the song’s ambiance and melancholy—a surprisingly succinct analog for the haunting loneliness of space and life. – Richard Villegas