It’s been five years now since Guadalajara-based, mustachioed duo Los Master Plus first appeared on the map, courtesy of their Spanish-language version of one of Daft Punk’s most popular hits. El Comanche and Larry Mon struck out a fun, kitschy path for themselves with hilarious covers (and accompanying videos) of popular songs by English-language artists, including Kings Of Leon and Radiohead. The duo knew they’d eventually have to leave the covers behind (but not the mustaches) if they were to take the next step in their career as musicians, which is exactly what they did on their full-length debut album.
On the appropriately titled Adelante, Comanche and Mon take a step forward as musicians with 11 (mostly) original tracks, written in between three years of touring. The final result is a showcase where Comanche and Mon sing and rap across multiple genres, allowing them to be as goofy and romantic as they want to be.
Adelante starts off on the right foot with album opener “Vas A Querer,” recalling some of the best work of Plastilina Mosh before jumping into cumbia grooves on “Recalentado” and “Sonidero.” Much of the album continues in similar bailable fashion thanks to Casio beats and cumbia sounds, until the end of the album when things get sexy and romantic. The duo croon on the album’s only cover track, “En La Orilla Del Mar,” and original track “Vengache Pa’Ca,” the latter featuring Caloncho. Speaking of guest artists, Camilo Lara, Gil Cerezo, and El Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan also appear on the album, helping Los Master Plus prove that they are more than a punchline, a passing fad, or, worse, an overdone joke.