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
Jenevieve - “Baby Powder”
If you see a song called “Baby Powder,” you immediately know it’s going to be smooth, and that’s the case with Jenevieve’s new jam. But the song isn’t really what it seems; underneath the sultry, poppy R&B production and mesmerizing vocals there’s a story of first love and, inevitably, first heartbreak. She calls out an old flame for playing, but she does it tenderly so he ends up regretting his actions. -Cheky
2
Rico Nasty - “Lightning”
One thing we know is that Rico Nasty always speaks truth, and she’s willing to put it on her life. “Lightning” is an unusually calm moment in Rico’s output, but it still goes in hard, as she gives us a rundown of her rise to notoriety with gnarly 808 kicks falling around her like bombs. “Lightning come and strike me if I’m lying,” she sings, and there’s not a single flash in the horizon. -Cheky
3
Jamez Manuel - "Marihuana y Perreo"
Zonora Point member Jamez Manuel has been slicing through the outer edges of trap and reggaeton for a minute, and—as evident on his latest solo track “Marihuana y Perreo”—has probably explored the divergent powers of auto-tune more thoroughly than few artists since T-Pain. Manuel sings through a tale of freak-friendly courtship in his new Neoperreo fever dream, produced by a King Dou Dou fresh off of his work for Colores, and by recurrent label collaborator El Licenciado. The song’s color saturated video clip may trigger vertigo in the unlucky but the Chilean cast stands out, especially Chilean vocalist and DJ Lizz. -Caitlin Donohue
4
Childs - "Bruma"
One of the most important post rock artists Mexico has given us are also some of the most elusive since they take their sweet time to deliver their music, but when they do, it’s in grand style. The evocative beauty that characterizes Childs remains intact yet there’s a flip of the cards as the song features a waltzing rhythm, a lot of singing, and violin that gives out more than a hint of darkness to the music that makes it heavier than most of their back catalog. “Bruma” becomes a journey out of the night that delivers you to daylight. -Marcos Hassan
5
Diego Raposo, Medio Picky, Ce Qei, Baldera - "Me Mudé a Tokyo"
While the world grapples with unprecedented rates of cabin fever, leave it to a cheeky Dominican foursome to thrust us into a luxurious fantasy of transcontinental baller adventures. MITEL DICO heads Diego Raposo and Baldera lay down a smoky hip-hop beat for the lyrical ninja prowess of Medio Picky and Ce Qei, who deliver fantastical rapid fire verses about sipping sake with Pokemon and bagging the hottest anime babes to ever grace Tokyo’s crowded streets. -Richard Villegas
6
Ramona - “Calidez” (ft. Bándalos Chinos)
Tijuana band Ramona invited Bándalos Chinos’ vocalist Goyo Degano to add some extra sugar to the already honey-sweet track “Calidez.” Degano and vocalist Jesús Guerrero trade verses that, as the song title anticipates, bring warmth to our souls when paired up with the modernized 80s-inspired instrumentation. This is naïve, unaltered love, and we’re loving every second of it. -Cheky
7
Sonic Emerson - "En Algún Punto"
When reading the words “psych garage pop” it’s probable that you have an idea of what that sounds like, and it’s probably filthy singalongs with tons of disorienting effects. The former Mint Field member known today as Sonic Emerson does indeed indulge in psychedelic three-chord chuggers married to sweet melodies but “En Algún Punto” does this without the drunken abandon or tired delivery, bringing instead a measured, multilayered approach that’s frenetic and mellow. The result is a hallucinating state of mind. -Marcos Hassan
8
Cartas a Felice - "El Alacrán" (feat. Daniel Me Estás Matando)
Cartas a Felice have cut their teeth in the Salvadoran indie scene for close to a decade and with their forthcoming sophomore album Lotería the band hopes to make the leap from local heroes to acclaimed international darlings. Their latest single, “El Alacrán,” features the album’s producer Daniel Me Estás Matando, where together they spin a melancholy web of cabaret rock reminiscent of boozy, wailing favorites like Mon Laferte and Los Pasteles Verdes. -Richard Villegas
9
Drovekidd - "Quisiera"
Drovekidd is rapidly becoming the shining star of El Salvador’s young but solid trap movement, delivering a beautiful new sadboy anthem in his latest single “Quisisera.” Featuring production by La Nave Produce, “Quisiera” finds Drovekidd venting the anguish of his broken heart, spitting a series of buttery, confessional bars over a minimalist beat of downtempo guitar strums aimed straight at the nagging urge to text your ex. -Richard Villegas
10
Ferraz - “No Puedo Parar”
There’s nothing like romance to ease these times of isolation, and Ferraz has lots of it. Only months after dropping his debut full-length Rumbo, the Mexico-based Venezuelan artist returns with a new single titled “No Puedo Parar,” a bouncy funk-pop concoction where he spills his love for a woman in such a tender way even the most cynics will have their hearts melted. -Cheky
11
Nnux - "Calles"
Experimental techno grew out of the farthest reaches of Soundcloud destroying any preconception of what electronic dance music could be and yet it has already fallen into its own set of clichés. Thanks to artists like Mexico City’s Nnux, deconstructed techno takes a new exciting spin that doesn’t do without it’s more out-there ideas. “Calles” sounds like time slowing down and speeding up at the same time situating you in the middle thanks to the hooks that are satisfying and nowhere near what a conventional pop song sounds like. Step into the vortex. -Marcos Hassan
12
Tomás Urquieta - "Dopamina"
There’s no denying that Chile’s iron spine has been revealed by recent society-changing events, a firmness of will in the face of oppression that this Viña del Mar-born producer has been digesting. One can hear the results of that reflection on this lead single off of his upcoming three-track Síntesis de Fricción EP, which is being put out by Medellín’s Insurgentes label. There’s a moment when other sounds fall away on “Dopamina” and all that’s left is a percussive heartbeat, sounding close to the loaded pause before fresh turmoil kicks in. -Caitlin Donohue