Omar Apollo Is Grown, Tokischa’s A Rebellious Teen & More in New Music

Omar Apollo ft. Kali Uchis, “Hey Boy”

Midway through Omar Apollo’s long-awaited debut project, Apolonio, Kali Uchis’ velvety voice complements the lanky man’s smooth, luring vocals on the chorus. The flirty track is a perfect union of the two’s distinct styles and, as is the case with the smug “I’m Amazing,” welcomes the opening statement for the indie artist’s we’ve seen grow before our eyes: This boy is now a grown ass man. The collaboration is only one of two carefully-selected choices for the LP. Both good, but it’s the likes of the opening track and “Bi Fren,” on which Apollo is unrecognizable, that steal the show. –Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo

Enyel C, "Polaris"

Enyel C knows which side of his bread is buttered and, for a rookie artist like him, sticking with what’s been successful so far is his best bet. With “Polaris,” the first single off his upcoming EP, Enyel runs it back with his signature reference-heavy rhymes & wordplay, giving the world another catchy track to break people out of their funk and get them swaying. —Juan Arroyo

Soy Emilia ft. Julián Salazar, "Estallar"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SUkL_6QwFM

Colombian singer/songwriter Soy Emilia has kept herself creatively busy throughout the live music shutdown; the proof is the release of Hecho En Casa. As improvised home studios became the norm, Soy Emilia tapped into her inner circle to remake previously released songs from the comfort of their respective homes.

On “Estalla,” Soy Emilia and Julián Salazar of electronic duo Mitú invite the listener to disconnect from reality via dreamy melodies and mellow vocals, while the aroma of fresh-brewed Colombian coffee brings us back to our sad reality. –Joel Moya

'akhi huna, "Summertime Sobrado"

Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, is a city built from scratch, out of a utopian dream of modernity. So, since its foundation 60 years ago, “real” life is found in its surrounding areas—far from that bureaucratic, aseptic, state-owned complex. That’s where Sobradinho, ‘akhi huna’s hometown, is located. The duo—made up of multi-instrumentalists João Davi and João Pedro—delivers an ode to the small city in their début. “Summertime Sobrado” is a jazzy, chill wave song about enjoying the small things in life, like hanging out and listening to Brazilian canons like Djavan on a warm day. –Felipe Maia

Chael x El Alfa feat Nio Garcia, Casper Magico & Mark B, “Culiácan”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Trh7uP1Y7nI

El Alfa makes an open call to all women who are active on Only Fans via Chael Produciendo’s “Culiácan.” Along with El Alfa are Puerto Rican natives Nio Garcia and Casper Magico and fellow Dominican artist Mark B. When it comes to visibility, Chael Produciendo is perhaps the most known producer stepping out of the Dominican movement. In “Culiácan,” he infuses the trapbow that he has popularized on mainstream tracks since El Alfa collaborated with Bad Bunny on “Dema Ga Ge Gi Go Gu.” Filled with double entendres, the song also consistently shows love to Culiacán Rosales, a city in northwestern Mexico. –Jennifer Mota

Mariel Mariel, “Glow”

Shapeshifting Chilean diva Mariel Mariel is back with a brand new merenhouse banger titled “Glow,” which is all about the seductive powers of a passing glance or smoldering stare. Featuring production from Dr. Fifo and Andrés Landon, the track booms with kicks, claps and high hats, all while horns and rapid fire piano keys transport the listener to a Caribbean ballroom where the party is raging. Mariel’s bars pour out in a series of seductive one-liners, inviting us all to the afterparty as she pulls her boo into a private backroom. –Richard Villegas

Marco Gabriel ft. Débora Melo, “Chato”

Marco Gabriel comes from São Luis, a northern Brazilian city that is best known for its love for Kingston Soundsystem culture and music. In a Black Atlantic connection, the artist links the dots between Jamaica’s first MCs and U.S. hip-hop culture in his first music video. Chato means boring and annoying, and the song has a “keep it real” stance overall as Marco spits ferocious bars about Blackness—Black mothers, prejudice, and his refusal to become a pop trap phenomena. The artist is sided by the young poet Débora Melo in a captivating music video that presents the alleys, working people and daily life of their city. –Felipe Maia

Tokischa x Yomel El Meloso, “Desacato Escolar”

Tokischa embraces her pro-sexual liberation nature, and revisits various memories from her time as a rebellious teen on “Desacato Escolar.” The song is produced by Leo RD, the tastemaker spearheading the underground dembow movement—a counterculture to the watered-down tracks of mainstream dembowseros. The visual showcases Yomel el Meloso and Tokischa wearing blue-collared button-ups and khaki bottoms to represent the country’s national public school uniform. The song’s sexual innuendos and blatant bars stand out in the country’s scene; a specific double-moral pushed space, something Tokischa is constantly fighting against. –Jennifer Mota

Melii, “Way Too Soft”

If you weren’t hyped up for Melii’s upcoming second project, this track is looking to change that. Her ensembles throughout the mafia-like visuals will kindly step on your neck and remind you who the f*ck you are if you forgot. “Way too soft” is an unbothered woman’s anthem. The “Dominican mami” refers to herself as the GOAT (greatest of all time) and her hard glare tells me she’s looking to prove it. –Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo

Mare Advertencia Lirika , “Bienvenidx”

Mangling a sample of banda de viento zapoteca to make a sick hardcore rap beat, Oaxaca, Mexico’s Mare Advertencia Lirika lays it down to deliver verse after verse of magnificent emceeing about the oppression of minorities—Indigenous people, the poor, women. Mare paints a vivid picture of our modern hell perpetuated by religious and political authorities and then asks us to do something about this systematic enslavement. “Bienvenidx” is a banger of a call to arms. –Marcos Hassan

Masoniería, “El Arquero”

As bassist for colorful tonti-pop four-piece Papá Topo, Sònia Montoya has learned the joys and virtues of humor and camp—some of the most delightful qualities of Spanish pop music. But eager to tell her own stories, Montoya has taken on the moniker of Masoniería and begun crafting saccharine synth-pop love songs under the watchful guise of influential scene eccentrics, Hidrogenesse. Her latest release is a cheeky, lighthearted romp called “El Arquero,” where Montoya casts herself as a cupid-esque figure shooting arrows of love straight to the heart of her potential paramour. No fuss, no muss; just heart emojis. –Richard Villegas

Smurphy, “Intuition”

Splitting between atmospheric and schizoid vibes, electronic avant-gardist Smurphy returns with her most ambitious music in a while. Linking experimentation with hedonistic abandon, “Intuition” is some of her most forward-thinking music to date, redefining hardcore techno into something zanier by matching frenetic club beats with tranquil atmospheric electronics and nerve-racking samples. “Intuition” is the perfect soundtrack for 2020 anxiety. –Marcos Hassan