Hey Chica! You’ve come a long way! Since their beginnings in 2007—when they started as a Morr-influenced indie-pop duo—to their later days as a full-fledged rock band, they have developed a sound that is genuinely theirs. With a title that may refer to its release number, or to the new number of band members (their drummer Jesús Neri left the band last year), Hey Chica! just released Tres on Sour Pop. Filling in behind the drum kit, they got Bonnz from Hello Seahorse! (Mexican bands with exclamation points on their name supporting each other). And even if their new music isn’t an extreme departure from what we’ve previously heard, it sounds fresh and special.
Unlike their previous release, Lo que nadie ve (2012, Sour Pop), the two songs on Tres are presented unadorned with any additional instrument apart from the basic rock formation. They sound fuller and more muscular, and they are sung entirely in Spanish. First track “Intentaré” is a straight-up rock number that starts with a section close to the sound of Triángulo de Amor Bizarro, and evolves into a slower, freer, and dissonant second part with a lot of room for improvisation. Then comes “No sé si sea la última vez,” an emotionally charged song where every single element stands out and sounds crucial to the result.