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.
Consider this your genre-diverse guide to the most exciting releases from rising Latinx artists each week. Follow our Nuevo Noise playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
1
Dromedarios Magicos - “Buenos Dias”
After fuzzy springtime bop “Los Niños” hinted at a new sonic age for Dromedarios Mágicos, his latest release cements this chapter as a bold departure from the weepy folk ballads that made him a star. “Buenos Días” embraces the lo-fi production flourishes heard from some of the day’s biggest names, ranging from Cuco to Omar Apollo and Billie Eillish, while always retaining the sweet earnestness of a teenage heartbreaker. -Richard Villegas
2
Yung Beef & La Zowi - “Empezar de Cero” (ft. Marvin Cruz & Mark Luva)
Given that the two have a baby together, it’s kind of hard to believe we had to wait this long for these veteran Spanish traperos to drop a song together. Work-life boundary successfully erased, we now have the whispering “Empezar de Cero,” La Zowi and Yung Beef’s ode to the strength of starting over within the bounds of a relationship. -Caitlin Donohue
3
Girl K - “Settle”
There’s a grungy 90s vibe to Girl K’s new single “Settle,” a psychpop daydream that will transport you to a parallel universe where Alice Bag is president and Nirvana was formed by three rowdy brown kids from Chicago’s south side. -Richard Villegas
4
Ryen & Sam Smyers - “No Tengo Lugar”
Chicago singer and producer Ryen is becoming increasingly known for his party-igniting reggaeton bops, but with new single “No Tengo Lugar,” the rising star is pitching fans a serious sonic curveball. Linking up with producer Sam Smyers for the second time, “No Tengo Lugar” is a head-turning, heart-pounding future funk explosion. Ryen’s perreo flow is ever present, but this faintly disco-flavored gem is ready to ring out the dog days of summer, whether you’re getting down at the cookout or the late night turn up. -Richard Villegas
5
Coiffeur - “Artesanías”
Coiffeur’s new single “Artesanías” is rocking electro-pop track that twists and plays with the Spanish language to paint deliciously sensual pictures. Delicate guitar notes and strums contrast with the bouncy electronic beat, but never overshadowing the ambiguous lyrics as the true star of the song, which has us thinking of the iconic pottery scene in Ghost. -Cheky
6
Bruno Donato - “Prisma”
The Argentina trap underground has blessed us with a depressing tune that seems to make its mission to have your face tats wet with fresh tears. “Prisma” pulls all the stuff: fluffy synths, autotuned vocals, k pop-like hooks, snappy beats; and it does it brilliantly, not a note or element sounds out of place. In a genre full of slow jams made for the time of night when you’re alone by yourself with your feelings, Bruno Donato seems to get it more than most. -Marcos Hassan
7
Ruzica Flores - "Lengua Filosa de Plata"
We’re treated to Santiago slow-burn from this Chilean emcee. Ruzica Flores’s agile flow comes replete with Eduardo Galeano references and calls to action, the kind of cool rebellion well-served for an August 2019 that is literally in flames. -Caitlin Donohue
8
Majēsvara - “Monte Kailash”
Perhaps we were not paying enough attention to Guatemala, but it seems that lately some of the most adventurous music in Latin America has come out of the country. Case in point is Majēsvara, a project that blends together dissimilar elements like noise rock, metal and shoegaze into something compelling and majestic, like a soundtrack to a sci-fi movie where wars are fought using high tech elephant clones or something. Being under three minutes long, “Monte Kailash” is big and epic, and points to something we haven’t heard before. -Marcos Hassan
9
Entrópica - “Atrás”
Before dropping Formas, her fifth full-length due this year, artist Francisca Bascuñán, a.k.a. Entrópica, released her third single “Atrás” with a beautifully queer video to match its vibes. On “Atrás,” the Chilean pop diva walks the line between sultry and moody surrounded by smoke and synthesizers, fantasizing about a desired reality that most likely will never come true. -Cheky
10
Rey Pila - “Anxious”
Mexico City’s prime torch-carriers for the return-of-rock revival of the 2000’s turn their back on Strokescore material to dive feet first into synthwave tunefulness. “Anxious” feature Moroder/Carpenter-approved electronic textures that pulsate and sprawl into different melodies while keeping things futuristic for the year of 1983. There are shades of their former sound to be found, especially in the vocal delivery, which also hints at a goth shade from time to time, so perhaps it’s not far-fetched to request it for its inclusion on the soundtrack to the next season of Stranger Things. -Marcos Hassan
11
Ariel Zetina - "Valenzetina"
Chicago’s Ariel Zetina cradles you in house music on this track, a soft-touch fairy tale progression that features touching farewell words from RPDR‘s crowd favorite Valentina. The teaser from Zetina’s upcoming EP Shell gives us good reason to stamp around, impatient for our next hit of the producer’s fine ear for dance floor brainstorm. -Caitlin Donohue