Retrofuturism has been one of the most persistent themes in kitsch. People who love stuff that’s bad/garbage/ugly/passé/etc. have a predilection for objects that tried to predict the look of a time to come yet missed the point completely, and now seem old as time itself. There’s no really equivalent in music, since most music hardly pretends to be from the future; mostly, it tries to define its own era as it’s happening. In other words, striving for a song to be “modern” is what it means to be cutting edge in music. Following that logic, I’m calling the music by Salón Acapulco retromodern.
Salón Acapulco has been teasing us with odd tracks, and now they have released Fandango, their full length debut. If you’ve heard those cuts then you know what you’re in for: dance beats, dated synth sounds and tons of fun-sparking moments. Yes, listening to Fandango is a very kitschy thing to do; most songs could’ve been singles for Garibaldi or Thalía in the early nineties, or perhaps made by a Spanish producer trying to make his bid in the Eurodance sweeps. A big part of Salón Acapulco’s appeal is the combination of nostalgia and “guilty pleasure” spice for those who like to giggle while getting busy on the dance floor. This is for those who don’t like their party music to be taken seriously.
Fandango shows a lot diversity. Instead of opening with a bang, they greet you with “Gin and Coconuts,” their collaboration with beachside romantic band Caloncho; Priscilla Gzz of Quiero Club also makes an appearance in a similar vein. From then on, the album gets more in a party mode, yet never gets too wild; Salón Acapulco likes to keep things chic and tidy with just the right amount of nods to Mexico.
Overall, Fandango is a fun record that tries to recreate a nostalgic lifestyle of leisure by the sea. With their debut, Salón Acapulco sends you to a towel on a sandy beach, where a radio plays early nineties dance pop never gets turned off.