10 Songs You Need to Hear This Week

1

Los Retros - “Never Have Enough”

There’s no question that this is modern psych soul of the highest order, but the ease in which the track blooms has more than a passing touch of reggae. Mauri Tapia’s new track is so delicious, it could be vintage Kali Uchis. Tying together soft rock and old-time R&B sweetness, it’s obvious what got him a deal with legendary label Stones Throw. “Never Have Enough” sounds like a jammy message from the past where genres are not important, only the emotive responses to the music. -Marcos Hassan

2

Soy Emilia - "Estallar ft. Medio Picky"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtwWIGOBxNo&feature=youtu.be

Bogota’s Juanita Carvajal drops a vertical video for this synth-ridden, wispy dream of reggaeton – given a genre fidelity assist by a lightning-quick verse from Dominican producer Mediopicky. –Caitlin Donohue

3

Mariana Montenegro - “Música”

Since the demise of foundational Chilean indie pop outfit Dënver, both beloved founding members have been hard at work wowing loyal fans with riveting new sounds. Mariana Montenegro has embraced the house diva we all knew she carried within, and with her latest single “Música,” she plunges deep into the hedonistic reaches of late-night clubbing. Slip on your dancing shoes and keep a water bottle handy, because you’re going on a journey. -Richard Villegas

4

Nino Augustine - "Activo"

Atlanta-based Panameño Nino Augustine just dropped “Activo,” a white-hot new single ready to spark perreo circles at every summer function. The bombastic jam collides an unrelenting reggaeton beat, massive horn samples, and Augustine’s own infectious hype – which will keep your heart racing throughout. -Richard Villegas

5

Traición - "Diablo"

There are many ways to invoke the dark lord on the dancefloor but few are as effective as the manner in which the one-man-band from Guadalajara does it. Mix synthwave straight out of a b-movie, slowed-down disco beats and a general feeling of glamorous darkness and you’ll get “Diablo,” a fun and a little menacing soundtrack for your Saturday Night. Worship Satan and party till you puke. -Marcos Hassan

6

Claudia Vega - "Master & Margarita"

Oozing with charisma, Madrid’s Claudia Vega has an earful for melody that seems to communicate straight from her bloodline and into her music. Listening to “Master & Margarita,” one gets immediately pulled into her flamenco/klezmer/Gypsy punk fusion of styles to let her intricate personal tales unfold in the listener’s ear, aided by her very characteristic raspy voice that makes it sound vital and urgent, like any interesting tale of our time. -Marcos Hassan

7

Martox - “De Negro”

https://soundcloud.com/martoxmusic/de-negro-1/s-hUkJP?fbclid=IwAR1Yf0RzwOlTla92QN-5D4GDsGIAzNt4ZSr6671kCdAt1rJvIXLeKyrW83w

Dominican duo Martox have released several low key instrumentals and covers over the last few months, but their latest single “De Negro” is a slow-burning ode to the treasured in-between-the-lines moments of every blossoming romance. “De Negro” is another excellent example of the sweet and compelling R&B wave sweeping through Latin America, and the production breakdown at the tail end of the track is a total treasure. -Richard Villegas

8

MIMA & International Dub Ambassadors - "Ñam Ñam"

There’s no cheating when it comes to authentic dub reggae, you either go all in or you appeal to white people on vacations in the Caribbean beaches. Although you might think this is an ode to dinner time, “Ñam Ñam” is the real deal about something deeper and more abstract, a cover/dubplate of the psych downtempo song by Puerto Rican singer MIMA that gets the whole treatment: soulful horns, church-like reverb ambience, and doomy drums like the best the genre has to offer. -Marcos Hassan

9

Los Rivera Destino - "Dura" (Daddy Yankee cover)

Bad Bunny shared Los Rivera Destino’s bolero cover of “Te Boté,” which may have emboldened this Puerto Rican combo’s resolve to re-do Daddy’s recent hit with the cha-cha treatment. The strange part is how LRD is able to lay bare the absolute lyric similarities between the big band genres of yesterday and today’s urbano bangers. The hook’s cherubic repetition is inspired by cha-cha classics like “Querube,” “Quizás, quizás, quizás,” and “Piel Canela.” -Caitlin Donohue

10

Tatiana Hazel - "Let Me Go"

When Tatiana Hazel isn’t busy dropping pristine pop hymns, she’s consistently outfitting people like Kali Uchis with her singular clothing designs. On “Let Me Go,” Hazel gives us a crisp, punchy number, perfect for the club, or a car drive home after ending things with a long-time lover.

When Tatiana Hazel isn’t busy dropping pristine pop hymns, she’s consistently outfitting people like Kali Uchis with her singular clothing designs. On “Let Me Go,” Hazel gives us a crisp, punchy number, perfect for the club, or a car drive home after ending things with a long-time lover.