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 Giny , La Yegros, and Techy Fatule. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Sofia Castro, Fiamma, Alexis Gomez, Pitizion - “Vamos (2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup)”
The inaugural season of the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football) Women’s Gold Cup is this year, and to mark the occasion, they’ve gathered together three female artists for the official song of the competition. “Vamos,” performed by Puerto Rican Fiamma, Mexican-American Alexis Gomez, and Colombians Sofía Castro and Pitizion, is a rousing track to motivate players and fans to embrace the historic moment. As women’s soccer becomes increasingly popular on the Olympic and national stages, this new contest only adds fuel to the fire. “Vamos” will be performed live during the final match on March 10th at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium between the United States and Brazil. — Juan J. Arroyo
Giny - “Ruido Mental”
As far as debuts go, Giny certainly hits the ground racing with her first single, “Ruido Mental.” Enveloped by the melodious percussion and strums of producer Rigoberto Alvarado, the young Puerto Rican singer’s airy voice sells the laidback vibes the track possesses. The song’s lyrics are a romantic daydream full of yearning for love and peace of mind, fusing bits of bedroom pop, R&B, and indie. The visualizer follows their lead, portraying Giny as she passes the day trying to find distractions from the heartache she croons about. It’s a strong first impression that should leave listeners eager to hear what’s next from her in the coming months. — Arroyo
Natalia Lafourcade - “Maria la Curandera”
Natalia Lafourcade is celebrating International Women’s Day in a special way. Following her Grammy win for De Todas Las Flores, the emblematic Mexican singer-songwriter released a music video for “Maria la Curandera,” inspired by a poem penned by María Sabina. Lafourcade describes the new visual as a “ritual and an offering in motion that looks at women in constant mourning,” referring to women’s constant struggle in fighting for freedom and respect. She shows this through the lens by featuring women covered in dark gray attire, while Lafourcade hopes for their healing through her encouraging lyrics. Throughout the video, the women take off their dark gray wardrobes and perform a dance that symbolizes them healing each other – adding another creative touch to the poet and shaman’s words. — Jeanette Hernandez
La Yegros - “Veo” Feat K.O.G
It’s time to put yourself first. Following “Bailarin,” La Yegros is back with a new collaboration, “Veo,” featuring Ghanaian artist K.O.G. In this new joint track, the Argentinean singer meshes South American music and Afrobeat elements with a fast-paced string-driven melody that enthralls the listener from the start. “Veo” calls for a rebirth – excluding any generational trauma and even your mother’s lessons – to experience new things in life. The result? A motivating anthem that inspires you to become the main character in life. — Hernandez
Houses Of Heaven, MS. BOAN Mariana Saldaña - “Deserve”
Having already collaborated with Boy Harsher MS. BOAN, Mariana Saldaña is fast becoming the go-to guest singer for contemporary electronic acts with a penchant for darkness, this time collaborating with Houses Of Heaven. Her gothic diva vocals on this synthpop tune give “Deserve” a special kind of gravity, giving the Depeche Mode-influenced track—gloomy synths, industrial drums, sneaky melodies—a Movida Madrileña sense of camp and drama that otherwise would be absent. Saldaña and Houses of Heaven have crafted a dancefloor banger for those who must wear black eyeliner to have a great night out.—Marcos Hassan
Valebol - “Multivitaminas”
Multi-instrumentalists Daniel Villarreal and Vivian McConnell continue to bring us new sides to their project Valebol, this time going for a healing yet fun listening experience. For this collaboration, Villarreal and McConnell step back and bring us a calm and warm melodic track that unfolds effortlessly in its own melodic crevices. Rhythms pile on top of one another not to get you moving but rather to get you in the zone, while different licks and melodies click into place like a perfect jigsaw puzzle. “Multivitaminas” prove that this duo have many different roads to explore, and they always do it amazingly. — Hassan
Juan López, Akriila - “PAHPAHPAH”
Ahead of his forthcoming album CULIADO, Argentine rapper Juan López has been flexing his reputation as one of the buzziest young talents in the Porteño underground. On January’s “Me Siento Solo,” boy-demon Dillom stopped by with an enthralling barrage of indie rock confessions, while his new drop “PAHPAHPAH” alongside rising Chilean trap phenom Akriila reins in production to better highlight their immaculate bars. “Cash a mi me falta, a vos talento,” muses López cuttingly over minimal strums, while a climactic beat switch-up sets the stage for Akriila to utterly demolish the track with irreverent boasts about bagging baddies and stacks. — Richard Villegas
La Madre Tirana, Ivenno - “Libre y Tonto”
Ecuador is coming through hard as a new South American pop haven, and the latest single from La Madre Tirana all but seals that deal. “Libre y Tonto” is a soaring, sunny love song bubbling with the effervescence of a giddy romance. Enlisting his Cuenca compatriot Ivenno, the pair deliver Bee Gees-esque falsettos over a seductive combo of rock and disco made for soundtracking long gazes into that special someone’s eyes. — Villegas
Antolín - “Serenia”
Argentine artist Andrés Olgiatti has shared Condenado al Siglo XX, his ninth album as Antolín on Laptra Records, the same label that’s given us the likes of El Mató a un Policía Motorizado, Las Ligas Menores, and 107 Faunos, and it’s a sentimental bomb of nicely-filtered 90s nostalgia. Sitting sixth on the tracklist is “Serenia,” a soft indie rock jam complete with fuzzy guitars and organ sounds, plus Olgiatti’s boyish voice. He walks a line between the earnest and the comically surreal as he reminds us that there isn’t a singular way of navigating life and every curveball it brings. — Cheky
Tori - “Esquecer” (ft. Pedro Fonte)
Originally from Sergipe, Rio de Janeiro-based singer-songwriter Tori paired up with collaborator Pedro Fonte to create her new single, the slow-burning “Esquecer.” String and synth arrangements melt over a breezy instrumental that slows down our busy lives, and the two artists trade verses and harmonize, singing about the act of forgetting as an emotional way to experience people, places, and feelings all over again. — Cheky
Shanghai Baby - “From The Start”
Shanghai Baby, the solo project of Ade Martin (formerly of Spain’s garage rock band Hinds), brings us their latest single, “From The Start.” Played softly like the warm entrance of an embracing lullaby, the facade of a love song drops as Martin starkly reminds us of her bassist skills as fierce, clashing instrumentation enters the mix of this indie not-so-love song. Between hollowed basslines and electric guitars that intertwine, the lyrics reconcile with a growing unbalanced relationship that nears unrequited affection. The lyrics reconcile with forcing yourself to pretend you’re happy through changing relationship dynamics as someone who once made you happy is no longer the same, yet you hold onto the naive hope that they’ll return – although you know deep inside that couldn’t be further from the truth. – Jeanette Diaz
Tonina (feat. Julius Rodriguez) - "Loss"
Forces individually, Tonina teams up with Haitian Julius Rodriguez to create a supernatural collab on the single “Loss.” Known for their primary playing of the bass and piano, respectively, the magical duo brings to life a colorful single where R&B gets painted with the vivid nature of jazz-influenced instrumentation. Making a remarkable entrance with melodies carried by heavily doused keys and dynamic drums, the single sinks into a more sultry settled R&B rhythm. As their velvet-textured vocals fluidly weave themselves into chords, the duo sensually carries the song into the layered healing process of life after losing the one you love. — Diaz
Amargue Sessions & Techy Fatule ft. Gus Rodríguez - “La Gata Bajo La Luvia”
Amargue Sessions is a compilation of classic songs transformed into boleros, beautifully interpreted by women from the Dominican Republic. In a heartfelt rendition, Techy Fatule lends her voice to breathe new life into Rocio Durcal’s timeless classic, “La gata bajo la lluvia,” showcasing a harmonious blend of nostalgia and contemporary artistry. — Joel Moya