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.
1
Katzù Oso - “In Too Deep”
With the idea of creating a song for people to roller skate to in mind, Katzù Oso made the infectious “In Too Deep,” and it has us dreaming about going to the rink once the quarantine is over. The track, a preview of his upcoming Colour EP, is a disco number with a sprinkle of that good French touch, where he evaluates if he’s really in love or not with his partner. -Cheky
2
Los Walters ft. Eduardo Alegria - "Ciudad Fantasma"
The Puerto Rican synth pop duo creates a vibrational ode to a ghost metropolis with Eduardo Alegría, creator of indie project Alegría Rampante. Clocking in at nearly five minutes, “Ciudad Fantasma” takes the listener on a rather symphonic red carpet ride through shimmering auditory climes. -Caitlin Donohue
3
DJ Sustancia ft. El Doctor - "Clorofomo"
Neoperreo’s Sustancia has proven herself to be a fearless vocalist. Just check how she makes surfing the collision of reggaeton and nu metal on “Clorofomo” sound easy. The renaissance woman is also a longtime tattoo artist and illustrator, and this song’s hyper violent music video is the perfect reincarnation of a project she did for Ignorant Comix last year that featured a pack of automatic weapon-enabled vegan strippers that slaughtered no-good men. -Caitlin Donohue
4
Exnovias - "Juaritoz"
Chihuahua synthpop nerds Exnovias have released a new EP titled Juaritoz, a loving tribute to idyllic hang out sessions in Ciudad Juárez and cherished memories with friends from around the world. After parting ways with co-founder Diego Puerta aka Dromedarios Mágicos, production mastermind Magiobus enlisted Sr. Trigger singer Alexis Chavarria to collaborate on some new mixes that could incorporate his flair for production and trap-influenced vocal sensibilities. The EP’s title track perfectly encapsulates the band’s evolving dweeby identity, kicking off as a slow-burning breakup song all before Chavarria’s 11-year old nephew $ebas drops in for an incandescent debut rap verse delightfully echoing the quirky lore of Exnovias. -Richard Villegas
5
Aleman feat. Dee, Fntxy, Yoga Fire & Muelas de Gallo - "Humo en la Trampa 2"
My 4/20/20 would not have been complete without this track, part two to last year’s Mexican pacheco classic that also featured a good segment of the Homegrown crew. Only, “HelT 2” ditches the original song’s whisper of paranoia in favor of a more laid back mood. Your quarantine filled with smoke from the best weed in town? Here’s your trap mexicano cypher. -Caitlin Donohue
6
Belmar & It Bends - “Wounds”
After all these days being locked in, it’s easy to forget that spring has actually arrived, but with Belmar and It Bend’s “Wounds,” we don’t need to go outside to watch the flowers bloom and the trees turn green. Fresh off Seasons, the Venezuelan producer and the Australian singer’s new collaborative EP, “Wounds” is an R&B-infused pop jam that invites us to just feel, and that’s exactly what we plan on doing. -Cheky
7
Mitú - “Me Recordarás”
Dipping into the Mitú archives, guitarist and synth wizard Julian Salazar has revisited a collection of unfinished tracks from the sessions for the band’s 2014 album Balnear, polishing never-released jams for a brand new EP titled Varias Dudas Después. Stand out track “Me Recordarás” reunites the Colombian pair with cantora palenquera Teresa Reyes, the voice behind Mitú staples “Yamina” and “Solitario,” colliding buyerengue-style vocal improvisation with swirling house production, soaring woodwinds and even mambo piano. -Richard Villegas
8
Vandal Boogie - "Time"
The Ortega brothers a.k.a. Al Smooth and Tony Getter from Batuco (a town on the outskirts of Santiago de Chile) deliver on their talent for weaving funk elements into their hip hop. The lyrics of new track “Time” run so fast through a story of a rollercoaster romance that you can almost feel the endorphins leaking out. -Caitlin Donohue
9
Dulce y Agraz - “La Piel”
By now, Concepción artist Daniela González, a.k.a. Dulce y Agraz, has released two thirds of her multidisciplinary project La Piel, including the title track. A charming take on reggaeton lento, “La Piel” is a poetic depiction of queer intimacy dressed in folkloric samples, melancholic synths and González’s own velvety voice, bringing us warm blurry images that are inevitably moving. -Cheky
10
Mint Field - "Natural"
Just when you thought you knew Tijuana’s Mint Field take on dream pop well, they switch it up to something more minimalistic and equally exciting. After years of submerging their music in cavernous reverb and giving us close harmony unintelligible vocals, “Natural” presents us a cleaner, minimalistic approach while remaining ethereal and surreal. Heavy guitars give the music a visceral kick that is more than welcome. -Marcos Hassan
11
Chicano Batman - "Blank Slate"
Linking up Prince, Parliament-Funkadelic and krautrock legends Can in a three minutes song is not something to take for granted, and yet Chicano Batman make it work for a song suited for dropping acid and taking a summer afternoon drive around the coastline. “Blank Slate” drips with desire and good times so you turn it up to send your mind on a pleasant trip. -Marcos Hassan
12
Ysy A & Oniria - "A Toda Hora"
As the urbano genre expands in popularity, more artists are bound to bring their A-game to reach for the gold. Case in point, Ysy A brings us “A Toda Hora,” a trap joint built around a chopped boogaloo sample courtesy of producer Oniria of NEUEN fame. Here, the Argentine rapper mumbles and proclaims his personality without much complications and plenty of attitude while bringing the heat. Listeners are bound to be the winners when tracks like “A Toda Hora” become the norm. -Marcos Hassan