A few weeks ago, we gave ya a top 10 list of Latin Albums To Look Out For In 2013. Because 2013 is looking bright and promising for Latin music, this time around we’re providing you a sequel to this list adding 13 more albums to the list. Everything from cumbia crunk to Spanish electro-pop.
It took him a while, but Marcelo Tijerina, a.k.a. Mexican Dubwiser finally got his ambitious double-album debut out in Mexico and now he’s getting ready to debut it in the US. Revolution Radio includes top-notch guest appearances and collaborations by the likes of Rubén Albarrán (Café Tacvba), Pato Machete (Control Machete), Ulises Lozano (Kinky) and Blanquito Man (King Changó), amongst many others. In a time when most digital albums have merely ten tracks, Mexican Dubwiser debut stands out with fifteen original tracks plus a whole second disc with thirteen remixes. It’s like being in the ’90s all over again! I say the more the merrier. Revolution Radio will be released in the US on April 20th for Record Store Day. -JD
Following his 2010 debut The Imminent Failure of Francois Peglau and sprouting many worthy singles afterwards, Peruvian Londoner Francois Peglau has been dubbed an artist to watch. Unlike with the said album, this upcoming will be sort of a collection of singles, but with never before-heard tracks included, and most of the songs will also be sung in Spanish. We do wonder, though, if this following will carry the same thematic of the charming pessimistic troubadour. We’ll wait to see.
The title wasn’t revealed to us yet, but we can expect it to come out sometime in April/May. For now, check out his first 2013 track released, the bilingual surf rock steady “Costa Rica.” -IR
<a href=”http://francoispeglau.bandcamp.com/track/costa-rica” mce_href=”http://francoispeglau.bandcamp.com/track/costa-rica”>Costa Rica by Francois Peglau</a>
What happens if you get the two biggest names in Chilean turntablism in a studio? DJ Raff and Latin Bitman have been crossing paths and sharing the spotlight in Chile for a while, collaborating with many of the same artists, playing at the same festivals, etc. Outside of Chile, they are the two best-known Chilean hip-hop artists, besides Ana Tijoux, thanks to their respective works being released internationally by Nacional Records.
Well, now the competition for the Top DJ crown is being taken to a whole new level: RVSB (abbreviation for Raff vs. Bitman) promises to be the ultimate DJ battle ever imagined, with two of the most adventurous sonic innovators in South America showing off their skills in production and scratch. Of course there’s not going to be a clear winner since well, they’re not really competing, and they are actually friends. The 10-album track is set to drop on March 19th though Nacional Records. -JD
Known to start up those cool rowdy parties your parents fear for you to attend, even as an adult, Austin-based Master Blaster Sound System also know how to amalgamate live performances with DJ culture with some revving cumbia crunk. The brainchild of Brian Ramos, Cecy Trevino, and DJ DUS (aka El Dusty), the seven-piece band gear up to release a full-length album on May 2013. As a promotional token, “Borrale” is the first taste we get off this upcoming, which was also included in their 2010 EP. We definitely wait to hear what else Austin’s electronic cumbia sounds are brewing down there. -IR
These guys really know how to set clear goals and future plans way in advance. Mar will be the second part to Palenke Soultribe‘s conceptual trilogy composed of three albums, each representing a color in the Colombian flag. Oro, was the first one, released in 2009, now comes Mar, and the closing chapter will be Sangre. Set to be released on April 9th, Mar will include guest appearances by Sr. Méndez, Mr. Vallenato and Naada Guerra who sings on the album’s first single “Move it.” If by the title you assumed that this would be a calm ocean of chill-out beats, the single will make you think more of a dancefloor tsunami. -JD
What happens when friends join a singer-songwriter by the name of Dave Sandoval who’s determined-to-fuse-the-sounds-of-his-bi-cultural-heritage-by-blending-Afro Cuban rhythms with melodic indie rock? New York-based Dave has been keenly chronicling the bicultural experience as a first generation Cuban in the U.S. via his music as Del Exilio (from exile). With his debut 200%, taken in the literal sense of belonging to two countries, Dave preps up with his sophomore release Panamericano due March 1st. Produced by José Luis Pardo of Venezuela’s Los Amigos Invisibles, adding his original ingredient of funky pop, expect to get your dose of social justice while you groove. -IR
After his solo debut on Nacional Records went unfairly unnoticed, legendary percussionist Eric Bobo found the right way to express his rhythm: through collaborations. In 2012, he surprised us all with Ritmo Machine, his album with Chilean DJ Latin Bitman.
Continuing in that same line, and still exploring the extreme south of the continent, the son of Willie Bobo and percussionist of both Cypress Hill and Beastie Boys, went to Argentina, to record his next collaboration project. LA Conecta BA is the title in progress of this up coming 7-track EP where Bobo shows his love for Buenos Aires when he joins local MC El Guapo who, paradoxically, is very influenced in his style and aesthetics by Los Angeles’ rap. (No release date yet). -JD
This lovely pair of musicians first caught our eye about a year ago when they released this super quirky song/music video “Estos Días.” They’ve also been known for doing covers by the likes of The Who and The Beach Boys, and as of latest, Luis Alberto Spinetta and The Beatles.
This folky pop duo plan launch a sophomore album by the fall, which would have been called Scary Monsters but David Bowie already took that name. This also means that it’ll have darker themes tying it closer to the folkloric roots of Peru and Latin America, unlike the previous cheerful and more pop-centric album, Paracaídas.
The first track off this upcoming is “Jaula” (demo) which is still in its beginning stages. The album will be recorded in Argentina this summer and produced by Matías Cella (producer of Kevin Johansen y Jorge Drexler). -IR
The Argentine singer best known for lending her sultry vocals to the downtempo productions of Federico Aubele, Thievery Corporation and Echocentrics has a new solo album in the works and it comes full of surprises. Lumen will be the follow up to her 2008 solo debut, Nectar, and it’ll be her first outside of the ESL Music (Thievery Corp.’s label) comfort zone, because she’s moving to Nacional Records. Also, after collaborating with Echocentrics she apparently hit it off with über-producer and Grammy winner Adrián Quesada (Grupo Fantasma, Brownout) and she got him as album producer for this new project. Still, no exact release date but it’s announced for the Spring 2013. -JD
This Mexican socialite first wooed us with her soft-vocals and quirky style a few years ago, and then she stunned us with her video “Quiero” dubbing it as one of our faves of 2012. The future keeps looking brighter for Gina Récamier. She sets off to release her sophomore record nicely titled ImaGina on February 5th via Cosmica, produced by Mexico’s acclaimed indie rocker Chetes. The first single “Luz Verde” off Madame’s upcoming is not only dolce and catchy, but it has a beautiful ’80s pop rock feel with a sense of nostalgia, or as she proclaims as “vintage pop.” If this single is already a great indicador, we’ll claim that ImaGina will be magnificent. -IR
Vicentico, notably known as the founder and leader of the legendary Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, returns with a fifth album (out tomorrow in the U.S. January 29th!) titled Vicentico 5. Produced by Cachorro López, the album contains a few covers of Roberto Carlos, ABBA, and Xuxa. He also collaborated with his wife, Valeria Bertuccelli, in two songs. In this first single/video below, we see a different side of this musician, dressed in a suite and acting silly, as we’re all used to that part. -IR
Part of the cool indie rock cats from our favorite Spanish label Mushroom Pillow, the angry-looking artist Joe Crepúsculo keeps banging out those albums as quickly as I can perhaps finish this entire article making this techno troubadour’s sixth album(!!), Baile de Magos, out March 20th.
If you haven’t seen any of his music videos, we highly recommend you do. His blithely and sinister sense of cynicism is no doubt charming, as contradictory as it may sound. Often pairing up with Spanish songstress Russian Red with tracks such as “Leyenda,” and going solo in “Fábrica de Baile” the album proves to be very European-electro, super dance floor friendly, and indie rock melodic. -IR
Formerly of the acclaimed Elephant, New York’s thriving indie rock band, Argentine frontman Diego Garcia traded his rock-n-roll swag for an acoustic guitar and melancholic riffs along mellow vocals. Making his debut in 2011 with his album Laura, Diego showed another and more sensitive facet, he also proved to us that, as a well musician should, can alternate within different musical spectrums.
Just last year, he released a Spanish-sung demo of “Laura” which was an ode to Piero. Nowadays, he’s in the studio recording his follow-up who is will be produced by Jorge Elbrecht, and I don’t know about you, but I’m sure he’ll have more dreamy feel-good Spanish tracks. -IR
