We are living through an era where more music is available to us than ever – whether it be via social media, streaming or apps. But despite this wealth of options, it can be difficult to cut through the industry hype, the homogenizing algorithms, and find something new and exciting. In our weekly Nuevo Noise playlist, you’ll find some of our favorite releases of the week – from the most exciting new names in urbano to the burgeoning SoCal neo-Chicano soul wave and everything in between.
This week’s playlist is brought to you by the 2020 Census, giving a voice to rising Latinx neighborhoods similar to how Nuevo Noise gives a voice to rising Latinx artists each week. Follow our Nuevo Noise playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify.
1
Alex Ferreira - “No Se Rompe”
Alex Ferreira opens a new cicle in his career with “No Se Rompe,” a tropical pop song so soothing it’s ready to be included in your self-care routine. Woven with the same understated thread as his last album Canapé, “No Se Rompe” has a message that we all need to hear in these hard times: after everything passes, we’re going to be alright. -Cheky
2
Chilean firebrand Rubio has just unveiled La Existencia, the second evocative EP leading up to their forthcoming sophomore album due for release in the fall of 2020. Accompanied by genius producer Pablo Stipicic (Gianluca,Kali Mutsa),Fran Straube continues their fascinating exploration of digital atmospheres and organic South American instruments throughout. Just dive into “Solo Quiero Que Salves Tú,” a gut wrenching song about the ways love can save us from our own darkest moments, driven by sparse 808s, delicate charango strings and Straube’s primal vocal gymnastics. -Richard Villegas
3
Jup do Bairro feat. Linn da Quebrada - "ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE"
Dive into the new CORPO SEM JUÍZO EP from this favored vocalist of Brazilian luminary Linn da Quebrada with “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE”, a baile funk-inflected ode to indescribable and self-sustaining love. Though Quebrada shows up for a verse, the focus stays on do Bairro’s magnetic pull, which resonates through the CORPO SEM JUÍZO’s seven tracks. -Caitlin Donohue
4
King Doudou ft. Israel B, Mc Buzzz and Ceaese - "Muévelo"
Step back Balvin, this French producer is kicking off a series of single releases to showcase his veteran status as global perreo matchmaker. “Worldwide” series opener “Muévelo” cherry picks club incendiaries Ceaese from Chile’s trap galaxy, Brazilian via Barcelona MC Buzzz, and Madrid emcee Israel B for a baile funk cut. -Caitlin Donohue
5
El Medio - “Periplo Nocturno”
Puerto Rico’s El Medio returns from a long pause with a sonically-ambitious new album titled La Aventura de Elegir, which includes the song “Periplo Nocturno.” The nautical-themed indie folk tune, which features an array of rich acoustic instruments, is a gorgeous daydream of sailing to the unknown in the vast ocean, where there’s nothing but yourself and a journey of self-discovery. -Cheky
6
Lienzos - “Reflejos”
From Maracay, Lienzos’s latest track “Reflejos” is an alluring piece of homemade dream pop that balances light and darkness both musically and lyrically. The Venezuelan artist takes a long, hard look in the mirror as she dives head-first into existentialism. While she talks about an aimless, collapsing reality, there’s a glimmer of hope every time the mirror talks back and says “No estás lejos.” -Cheky
7
Monterrosa - "Nueva Normalidad"
Spanish electropop duo Monterrosa have been extremely vocal on the myriad ways the national music scene has been affected by theCovid crisis, ranging from lost gigs to closing venues and thousands of industry professionals thrust into unemployment. Steeping in this heavy dread, the pair of Enrique Aparicio and Rocio Saíz jumped into the studio the minute pandemic restrictions were loosened in Spain, pouring their emotions into a new EP ironically titled Música Ligera. Opening track “Nueva Normalidad” is not only a poetic summation of our beleaguered mental state, but also a poignant reminder that rushing back to normality and forgetting the many lessons on environmental impact, poor political leadership and basic human decency we’ve learned throughout would be a grave mistake. -Richard Villegas
8
Charly Gynn - "Una Noche Más"
Produced by Purple Hertz and Jace Kimura, this song sees Mexico City’s Charly Gynn turn in an uncharacteristically subdued plea for a relationship deadline extension. Sultry sounds good on her, as does the vibrational lo fi Tempvs Music bedroom reggaeton. -Caitlin Donohue
9
Lukrø - "Mi Chiquita ft. El Pseudo"
While there are plenty of reasons to enjoy modern electronic dance music, the fact that you can bring various generations of sounds and musicians in a single track is probably the most exciting aspect. With its strummed pan-Andean stringed instruments, danzón horns, and straight-outta-Atlanta trap beats, “Mi Chiquita” is a prime example of a song that travels through time and space to achieve maximum turnt levels. Peru’s dancefloor titan Lukrø demonstrates again that he can bend the elements to his will in order to set your feet in motion. -Marcos Hassan
10
Mabe Fratti - Aire ft. Gibrana Cervantes
For many music lovers, music traditionally made by cello has a sort of heavenly quality of the music. Mexico City-via-Guatemala experimental musician Mabe Fratti arrives at similar results that are more intense by throwing away the rulebook. After releasing a critically acclaimed album last year and fresh from a recent collaborative project, Fratti is back with “Aire,” a song based on a droning distorted riff that lifts itself into dissonance and beauty by weaving her cello and gorgeous vocals with Gibrana Cervantes’ violin, achieving a sweeping beauty that feels devastating in its humanity and moving to the point of tears.