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
Salt Cathedral - "Te Quiero Olvidar"
Juli Ronderos’s lilt sounds divine on the latest single from duo Salt Cathedral. Each note is a precious jewel that when lain together, adds up to a small, reggaetón treasure trove. As is their wont, the group’s sunny sounds add unexpected poignancy to the heartbreak storyline. -Caitlin Donohue
2
Sky feat. Leebrian, Jhay Cortez, Mora - "A Vapor"
Could this sad banger be the spiritual sequel to “La Canción?” Judging from the impeccable Sky-produced beat and lyrical delivery, it has a good chance. Although “A Vapor” taps into similar sonic and emotional ground as the Balvin-Bunny hit, it explores a different sentiment from different perspectives, as Leebrian, Jhay Cortez and Mora give their own account of detachment from flings and relationships, from both sides of the equation. The triste dembow lives on in 2020 and we’re all better for it to be honest. -Marcos Hassan
3
Jungle Fire - "Quémalo"
Los Angeles tropical funk ensemble Jungle Fire are back with a brand new single titled “Quémalo,” the robust opening salvo from their upcoming self-titled LP, scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day. The riveting “Quémalo” is an instrumental pilón paying homage to Cuban funk master Juan Pablo Torres, weaving a multitude of blaring horns, warbling bass lines and masterfully layered percussion into a highly atmospheric trip to the Caribbean and back. -Richard Villegas
4
Quixosis - "Sol de Invierno"
Among his many peers experimenting with traditional rhythms in electronica tracks, Ecuador’s Quixosis is one of the more fluent in the Indigenous sounds’s forms and function. On “Sol de Invierno,” he stretches cold light out over a mixed bouquet of drums and experimental club notes. The song was released by Onda Mundial, a new Mexico City platform aiming to provide Latin America’s electronic artists with a new indie springboard to wider audiences. -Caitlin Donohue
5
Naerlot - "Lily of The Valley"
Mexican experimental producer Naerlot has just unveiled her latest video single titled “Lily of the Valley,” appropriately filmed in the stunning verdant landscapes of San Luis Potosi’s Huasteca Region. The immersive track oscillates between gauzy ambient production and minimal house hedonism, all while Naerlot’s siren-like humming beckons the listener to dive further into the complex sonic universe she continues building with every new production. -Richard Villegas
6
Caldeera - “Diferente”
“Diferente” seems to follow a very straight forward line for listeners familiar with lo-fi singer-songwriters; however, the song lives up to its title. Indeed, just when you think the wobbly guitars will embrace you in its noisy and intimate warmth, the chorus hits like it could fill any arena worth its salt in melodramatic anthems. This Argentine project knows how to balance the emotion of inner monologues and the excitement of outer space-like arrangements. -Marcos Hassan
7
Santa Garcia - "Es Verdad"
Like listening to a whisper behind a closed door that explodes into a technicolor world of possibilities, “Es Verdad” presents itself as a song that recalls power ballads of yore without the overbearing taste, leaving us with a world built around elements of fine musicality. The Peruvian musician knows how to write a melody that will stay with the listener, appropriately so since “Es Verdad” deals with looking forward to whatever the future brings us. -Marcos Hassan
8
El Columpio Asesino - “Sirenas de Mediodía”
Pamplona quintet El Columpio Asesino bring us closer to the release of their long-awaited new album, Ataque Celeste, with their single, “Sirenas de Mediodía.” It’s impossible to shake off the feeling of resignation from the hard-hitting electro-tinted rock track, as singers Cristina Martinez and Albaro Arizaleta, half-reciting, half-singing, realize there’s no use in changing. They bitterly close the track with this mantra: “No tengo remedio.” -Cheky
9
Jessy Bulbo - “El Yonke”
Using her signature minimalistic punk style, Jessy Bulbo has written a new anthem for struggling rockers called “El Yonke.” The Ultrasónicas star uses her witty sense of humor to reflect on what she claims is rock music’s inevitable path to irrelevance and the pains of being a musician who pays the bills with her art. -Cheky
10
BADSISTA - "Machooka"
Fans of BADSISTA’s bruising club sets will take like fish to her new bludgeoning tool, “Machooka.” The track was released through British label femme culture, with which the producer previously collaborated on a song for the label’s compilation benefiting UN Women. -Caitlin Donohue
11
Pedro Honda - "Yaakun"
Over the course of 2019, Montehood affiliate Pedro Honda began building a name as an unusually introspective voice of Mexican R&B by frequently teaming up with his crew of equally sullen Yucatan producer buddies. However, with his new EP, Huum, Honda has opted for returning to his rock roots, and while the moody introspection we’ve come to expect is ever-present, tracks like “Yaakun” add a refreshing dimension to his catalog by dipping into dream pop and startlingly crisp shoegaze. -Richard Villegas
12
No Light - “Tonal Species”
Mexican producers No Light and Practice joined forces to launch their new imprint, Rítmica Dinámica, and they’re ready to let loose the label’s first release. “Tonal Species” is the first track from the eponymous EP by No Light set to drop on February 6, and it’s a nasty techno track that warps our brains with synths that ripple up and meltdown before our ears. -Cheky