Alt.Latino: Isabella Lovestory, Vicente García, more

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered – "Alt.Latino: Isabella Lovestory, Vicente García, more"

Introduction In the July 2, 2025 episode of NPR’s flagship music discovery program, All Songs Considered, hosts Felix Contreras and Ana Maria Sayer delve into a vibrant tapestry of Latin music, spanning vintage cumbia, alternative reggaeton, folk traditions, and the evolving Mexican rap scene. This episode, titled "Alt.Latino: Isabella Lovestory, Vicente García, more," offers listeners a rich exploration of diverse sounds and cultural narratives within the Latin music landscape.

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Correction and Classic Cumbia Vibes [00:16 – 07:11]

The episode kicks off with a lighthearted correction from Felix Contreras regarding a previous discussion about Karol G’s album sampling a Perez Prado tune. Felix clarifies, “[00:54] I corrected you. I said, no, that’s Mambo numero cinco, as we used to announce it,” highlighting the importance of accuracy in music references.

Felix then transports listeners back to the 1960s with a recommendation from the Muenster Vampizole label—a treasure trove for vintage Latin music. He introduces Oscar Agudelo y el Combo Moderna’s track "Esta Como Mango" from the album Pa Me Munyca. Felix describes the song as embodying the “vintage cumbia vibe” and delves into its playful, anatomical metaphors, stating, “[04:58] It’s a physiological reference,” underscoring the clever wordplay in the lyrics.

Ana Maria Sayer complements this by noting the vibrant instrumentation, “the horns are so bright and expressive and dancy and playful,” capturing the essence of mid-1960s Colombian music. The hosts express enthusiasm for the album, with Felix proclaiming it his “song of the summer” ([06:57]), while Ana Maria playfully teases a workout playlist collaboration.

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Isabella Lovestory’s “Vanity” – Pushing Alternative Boundaries [07:17 – 17:06]

Ana Maria introduces Isabella Lovestory, a Honduran singer-songwriter, highlighting her album "Vanity". She praises Lovestory’s innovative approach to alternative Latin music, particularly the track "Fresa Metal". Ana Maria describes the track as “pushing the envelope” and blending reggaeton with experimental sounds, noting, “[08:40] She's kind of bordering on hyper pop in moments.”

The discussion deepens as Ana Maria analyzes Lovestory’s ability to merge traditional Latin rhythms with avant-garde production, referencing songs like "Euro Trash" and "Tu Tevas". Felix appreciates the innovative beats, though he humorously doubts it will make his gym playlist ([08:49]). The hosts express mutual admiration for Lovestory's blend of cultural influences and contemporary experimentation, emphasizing her global presence across New York, London, and Toronto.

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Grecia Alvan’s “Nubis Selva” – Preserving Folk Traditions [18:48 – 17:06]

After a brief break, Felix and Ana Maria shift focus to Grecia Alvan, an Ecuadorian folk singer. Felix introduces her album "Nubis Selva" and the track "Yo Porti", emphasizing her dedication to preserving Ecuadorian basket-making traditions through music. He shares Alvan’s poignant story about her mother’s commitment to maintaining cultural crafts: “[13:11] So that the tradition continues so that you can keep doing this stuff.”

Ana Maria reveals her personal connection to Alvan’s music, mentioning that she frequently listens to "Yo Porti" while on the elliptical ([13:29]). Felix underscores the importance of supporting artists by encouraging listeners to purchase their work directly, reflecting on the sustainability of folk traditions through music.

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Vicente García’s “Punito de Yokaju” – Cultural Resilience through Music [18:48 – 25:18]

Ana Maria spotlights Vicente García, a Dominican singer-songwriter known for his contributions to the tropical music genre. She introduces his latest album "Punito de Yokaju", inspired by Taino deities and ancestral sounds. Highlighting the track "Mambo Violento", Ana Maria describes it as “[19:50] really got me dancing” and a quintessential example of García’s blend of bachata and merengue with cultural depth.

Felix draws parallels to Juan Luis Guerra, noting the “serious Juan Luis Guerra vibe” ([22:40]). Ana Maria elaborates on the album’s theme of cultural resilience, particularly in the track "El Huracan", where García metaphorically addresses hurricanes as tumultuous love, symbolizing perseverance ([22:45]). They discuss García’s collaboration with Cabra, praising the seamless integration of traditional sounds with contemporary production techniques ([24:41]).

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Mexican Rap Evolution – Hera Emekis and the New Wave [25:18 – 35:45]

The conversation pivots to the Mexican rap scene, with Ana Maria introducing Hera Emekis and her EP "Las Que Escrivi y Nuncasake". Ana Maria commends Hera’s innovative approach, blending vulnerable storytelling with traditional Mexican influences. She highlights the track "Unmion", emphasizing its unique sound that diverges from typical Mexican rap: “[31:55] It’s really unlike any project I’ve heard in the rap scene coming out of Mexico.”

Felix expresses surprise and admiration for Hera’s work, noting, “[32:01] I was not expecting that at all.” Ana Maria discusses the challenges and nuances of rap in Mexico, contrasting it with genres like corridos which allow for different modes of expression. She praises Hera for creating space for vulnerability and political expression within her music, exemplified by the thoughtful lyrics in "Ciclo Vital" ([31:36]).

The hosts reflect on the diversity and creativity flourishing in Mexico City’s music scene, with Felix referencing past discussions about the city’s dynamic range of artists and styles ([34:27]). They underscore Mexico City as a creative epicenter in Latin America, spotlighting artists like Sabino and Pantillon Rococo who contribute to its vibrant rap landscape.

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Balthus’s “Flesh and Soul” – Guitar-Driven Jam Bands [25:18 – 35:45]

Concluding the musical journey, Felix introduces Balthus and their album "Flesh and Soul", specifically the title track. He draws comparisons to jam bands and reflects on his appreciation for diverse guitar expressions, stating, “[26:39] It almost has a jam band quality to it.” Ana Maria connects the sound to Krungman, reminiscing about the familiar guitar styles that evoke nostalgia and a sense of fun ([26:42]).

Their discussion highlights the versatility of the electric guitar in Latin music and the enduring appeal of bands like Balthus who infuse contemporary sounds with classic influences. This segment encapsulates the episode’s theme of blending tradition with innovation across various Latin genres.

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Closing Remarks [35:45 – 36:02]

As the episode wraps up, Felix and Ana Maria acknowledge their production team and thank listeners for tuning in. They reflect on the rich diversity of Latin music showcased in the episode, encouraging continued exploration and support for artists who preserve and innovate within their cultural traditions.

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Notable Quotes:

• Felix Contreras ([00:54]): “It was actually Mambo numero cinco, as we used to announce it.”
• Felix Contreras ([04:58]): “It’s a physiological reference.”
• Ana Maria Sayer ([08:40]): “She's kind of bordering on hyper pop in moments.”
• Ana Maria Sayer ([13:29]): “And I listen a lot while I Elliptical.”
• Felix Contreras ([22:40]): “That has some serious Juan Luis Guerra vibe to it.”
• Ana Maria Sayer ([31:36]): “I don’t want anyone to keep me in a glass jar. I want to be food for the sea.”

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Conclusion This episode of All Songs Considered serves as a testament to the dynamic and evolving nature of Latin music. Through insightful discussions and diverse music selections, Felix and Ana Maria illuminate the ways artists honor their cultural roots while pushing creative boundaries. Whether through vintage cumbia beats, alternative reggaeton innovations, or the heartfelt narratives of Mexican rap, the episode underscores the rich, multifaceted landscape of Alt.Latino music.

Transcript

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[Ana Maria Sayer]

I had something to say, but I can't remember. I guess that means the show's over. I'll come up with something. Don't worry.

[Felix Contreras]

I think you'll find something to talk about. You always have something to say, but.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Only important things, right, Felix?

[Felix Contreras]

That is correct. From NPR Music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Let the chisme begin. Felix, do you have any good chisme for me? Because I feel like I've been really over indexing on the quality stories.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay. So I do have a bit. I guess it's chisme. I do have something I have to do right off the top. I have to offer a correction on the air here.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Yours or mine?

[Felix Contreras]

It's a correction about something that I said, of course. Okay. So last week in the show, we talked about the Carol G album, the great Carol G album, and the one song that was sampled, the Perez Prado tune, you said it was Mambo Number five. And I corrected you. I said, no.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Oh, my God, this is the best correction ever.

[Felix Contreras]

And I said, no, that's Mambo. I know what I'm talking about. Blah, blah, blah. It's Mambo Number five.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Wow.

[Felix Contreras]

But I do have an excuse, maybe, sort of, kind of. When I was in high school, many, many years ago, I played in this band in high school, and we used to play those Perez Prado tunes, Cherry Pink, Apple Blossom White, Mambo Number five, Mambo Number eight and Carico El Mambo. And that Mambo Number five and Carico El Mambo. They would say, okay, now we're playing mambo number five. And then 1, 2, 3, and then I played Carico Mambo, which is at a different tune. I always got them confused. I always mixed them up. And here, what, 30, 40 years later, I mixed him up again in front of the whole world.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I still recall, Felix. I almost feel like I have to. We have to roll the tape to remind everyone. I immediately backed off. I was like, oh, yes, of course.

[Felix Contreras]

He must know what he's talking about.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

He must know what he's talking about.

[Felix Contreras]

So my apologies. Yeah. Honor correction. That was actually Mambo numero cinco, as we used to announce it.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, Felix, well, would you like to shamefully Present the music that you brought today.

[Felix Contreras]

Curiously, I brought some more old music. This is from one of my favorite labels. It's the Muenster Vampizole label from Spain. They are the king of reissuing vintage albums. This is an album from 1966. It's considered a collector's item in Columbia cumbia circles. The name of the band is Oscar Agudelo y el Como Moderna. The song is called Esta Como Mango. Check it out. Dig the whole vintage cumbia vibe, right? Love your Santos. Okay. That's about as close to risque as we can get. Okay. On the show, for those of you who. Who. Who need to brush up on their Spanish. He's like, oh, look at that mamacita. Look at. Look at her eyes, look at her mouth. And the female chorus is saying, estacumo mango. The mango is the juicy, sweet thing that just when you eat it, it kind of drips down your hands and all, you know, there's a physiological reference there. Okay. It's between the lines. I was going to say there's a sexual reference there. Okay, it is. And it's from 1966.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

It's like, how can I say this? Radio friendly. There's a physiological, anatomical.

[Felix Contreras]

An anatomical reference. Right.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

It's science.

[Felix Contreras]

The record is just full of this classic mumbo and, you know, and I haven't talked about this label in a while because this is a label dedicated to the crate divers, right? Finding the most fascinating archival albums imaginable. And I've been playing them throughout the entire history of all Latino because I remember things like this really cool Spanish doo WOP from the 1950s that was, like, reflective of the U.S. also, incredible post Franco punk that was so raw and so powerful. And then they do, you know, like, Mexico, Colombia, do all this stuff. MP Soul is like one of my favorite labels of all time. And they delivered with this great, great record is called Pa Me Munyca.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Felix, I I. It's interesting that you say that and you bring up those references because to me, like, the. The sound of it, the energy of it, it's. It goes so much beyond what I'm expecting from a cumber like that. Like, it sounds to me like the horns are so bright and expressive and dancy and playful. It almost like felt vaguely like. What's the term? Is it like, not. It's not cabaret, but do you know what I'm talking about? Like, the very drunken kind of like. Do you know what I'm saying?

[Felix Contreras]

Well, you know, in my head and in my Notes that I'm reading from.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And in your heart.

[Felix Contreras]

And in my heart. I described it as mid-1960s hypnis in Colombia. It's important to note this is pre salsa. Like, salsa became a really big deal in the mid. Early to mid-70s in Colombia, almost more than in Puerto Rico or in the United States. Salsa became huge. This is before salsa when it was homegrown. It was folkloric. It was what was modern and hip then. And some of this stuff, this music here reflects different types of cumbia, different types of, like, dance forms in Colombia at the time. That's what this record represents. And they have exhaustive liner notes, which is another specialty from Munster, Vampi Sol. It has all kinds of stuff. Different styles from Colombia during that time. I'm gonna be blasting this for the rest of the weekend.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

This is Felix's song of the summer. This is your song of the summer while you're hitting the gym, Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay. The name of the album is Pami Munyeca. The artist is Oscar Agudelo y el combo moderna. And the song is Estacomo Mango.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, so I have another suggestion for your summer gym playlist, Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Slightly different. This is a song from Isabella Love Story's new album. The album is called Vanity. I've been very patiently waiting for this album, Felix. I have been following her for quite some time now. She's a Honduran singer, songwriter. She grew up in Honduras. She moved to the US Then to Canada. This is like. She's pushing the envelope for me of what alternative Latin music can be, where it can pull from. This is one of those tracks called Fresa Metal.

[Felix Contreras]

I don't think it's gonna make my gym playlist, but I do like the way they changed up the reggaeton thing to that.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Weights. Ooh, I don't know what you do. Do you weights? Do you jazzercise?

[Felix Contreras]

I do jazzercise. That's the 80s, man. Jane Fonda and all that. Come on.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Exactly.

[Felix Contreras]

That is so cold. No, but I did like that syncopated stuff when they broke up the reggaeton and they made that whole little syncopated beat.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I mean, they call her a reggaeton artist, Felix. And that's just one of the many, many multi hyphenates of who she is. It's interesting because now she splits her time between New York, London and Toronto. And you can definitely hear the London ness of it to me, I think, first and foremost, you know, like, people talk about London having this very kind of experimental, interesting, vaguely electronic scene. And there's something about her sound. I mean, conceptually, Fresamel specifically, I just love that. I love the embodiment of that sound. Right. She's kind of bordering on hyper pop in moments with some of, like, the energy, the maximalist way she plays with sound. Like all of the electronic sound she brings in. But it's also. Obviously, there's a demo there and she's playing with that. She's. She's incorporating it very naturally into all the other things that she does. I want you to hear this other song. It's called Euro Trash, the last track. To me, some of what she did with the beat, it felt like something you've heard from maybe like a Rosalia and her chicken teriyaki moment on Moto Mami. But this is just. I don't hear Latin artists playing with sound in this particular way. Almost like vaguely hip hop drill. Bordering moment. She's kind of satirical to me and how she plays with beats and effects, but it's very controlled in her own kind of specific way. I want to close us out on one other song from her. It's called Tu Tevas.

[Felix Contreras]

They Woke Up. Okay. In the interest of, I don't know, camaraderie, of closing the gap, this is not normally a song or an album or a series of songs that I would listen to when I work out, Believe it or not, I listen to slow orchestral music. It's a whole different thing.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I do believe it.

[Felix Contreras]

Right?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I do. I do believe Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

But I'm going to try this.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Are you going to drop your workout playlist for people publicly?

[Felix Contreras]

Felix, that's a good idea.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

We should do a workout playlist episode.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my God. Okay, let's put it on the list.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

That was a couple of songs from Isabela Love Story's new album, Vanity.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay. The next song I brought in, I think we do have a bit of a whiplash here.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I'm shocked. Felix. What?

[Felix Contreras]

I brought in a track from an Ecuadorian folk singer. I just found this, I don't know, in an email or something. I didn't know her at all. Her name is Grecia Alvan. She's relatively young, so for me, it's great to hear her claim folk traditions. There really is nothing electronic modern contemporary about it other than that she's really leaning into the folk music from a part of the world that we really don't hear a lot about.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay. But Felix, did you know that I've actually been listening to this album all the time?

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my God.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I listen a lot while I Elliptical.

[Felix Contreras]

This is a song called Yo Porti and the album's called Nubis Selva. And apparently Anna already discovered it, but now you all can discover it. Great, great record. Again, the artist's name is Grecia Alvan, 40. I really like this record. And she tells this great story that came with some of the information on the record. Said her mother in. In Ecuador had a lot of baskets and she was. When she was a little kid, her mother saw another basket and she was going to buy another one. And she asked her mom, like, why are you going to buy a basket? Because our house is full of baskets. And she said, so that they keep making them, right? So that the tradition continues so that you can keep doing this stuff. That's how I feel about not only the beauty of this record, but explore this musician, explore this artist, explore these cultures so that they continue to live in us as listeners, continue to live in the musicians that presented, to continue to live in the musicians and all the audiences that appreciate it. That's what I really like about this record. I mean, it's a good. It's a beautiful record. It's gorgeous. It's got all these things, folkloric, traditional instruments. I heard some clarinets on that tune. You know, there's all this stuff. But it's her perspective of, I'm going to continue to do this, I'm going to lean into this. And I think it's something that, that we ought to support. And I do want to say, and it's something I've been wanting to say for a while. I want to ask our listeners, when you hear something that you like, go to their website, find them online on their social media and buy something from them because that's how they support themselves, right? Unless you're like a super, super big A list artist, every purchase helps. When you go see them buy a T shirt, buy a hat, buy or something, support them economically again so that they can keep doing it. Like Gracia's mom said about the basket makers. The album's called Nueve Selva. That track we heard is Yo Porti. The artist is Gracia Alva. In fact, right now we can take a break so you can go and find some of these artists on the Internet. Put the podcast on pause and then you can go out and find it. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.

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[Felix Contreras]

Okay, we're back. Hopefully you ordered some records while you were offline. Okay. All right, Anna, your turn. What do you got?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, so actually, weirdly enough, it is one of those moments where it does feel like we actually coordinated Felix, because a lot of what you were saying about the baskets and, you know, preserving tradition and, and really like, I think having a careful approach to what you incorporate into your music and why is very much a perfect explainer or descriptor. One of the many descriptors of Dominican singer songwriter Vicente Garcia. He has not released an album in six years, so it's been a minute he's been away. He's been probably crafting this because it's quite a beautiful record. It's called Punito de Yokaju and it's called that because it's actually inspired by a lot of Taino deities, tradition, ancestrally significant sounds. And so I'm going to play you one of the songs that first caught my attention on the record. It's called Mambo Violento. So I wanted to play that first because one it really Got me dancing. But two, it's just a really beautiful, classic version of what I think he's more known for, right? He's been nominated a number of times at the Latin Grammys for various Tropical Award categories. That's kind of what he's known for, is incorporating a lot of that classic bachata merengue from the Caribbean, and it's beautiful. This is like a perfect, wonderful example of the best of his work in that area. I mean, he's done everything. Felix from Toured with Juan Luis Guerra. Like, he has his stamp of approval in the tropical category. But what he does that I think is actually more interesting and more like what you said. This act of preservation is these nods to Caribbean ancestry. So one song I want to play for you are these nods to Caribbean ancestry. He did that on his last record, and he's doing it again now. The focus, really, for him above all else, is cultural resilience. And so I want you to hear this song. It's called El Huracan.

[Felix Contreras]

That has some serious Juan Luis Guerra vibe to it. Major.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

But more than that, Felix, when you listen to it lyrically, what he's really doing here, right, is he's playing with this concept of the hurricane. Obviously, this is a very present and. And difficult image for a lot of people in the Caribbean. You know, it's a constant fear. It's something that has affected. We've talked about how it's affected a lot of the music that comes out of these islands. And he's taking that concept and he's turning it on its head a little bit. He's talking about it from this perspective of, yes, it being a tumultuous love, but the way that he surrounds it with that beautiful percussion, it kind of gives me, like an Alex Ferreira type of energy. There's a calmness to the way that he confronts this concept, and I think that, to me, feels like perseverance. That feels to me like what he's trying to do on this record, right, is like, bring in some of these ideas, but then how can we surround them with our tradition musically and address them and overcome them? He teamed up with Cabra on this record, which he's done before, and I didn't quite hear the Cabra on it. I mean, obviously, anything that's just beautifully produced is gonna have a Cabra signature to it. But on this one track, which I want to go out on from him, which is called a Usadora, that's when I was like, oh, there's the Cabra influence completely.

[Felix Contreras]

I would Argue that Cabra or Eduardo Cabra is all over this record, because what he does is, like, he helps these artists dig within themselves and find just who they are. And then if it comes out in a variety of different styles, instrumentations, approaches, that's reflective of who they are. I love that when they're working together, they produce some amazing music together.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

That was a number of songs from Vicente Garcia's new album, Punito de Yakaku.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I'm gonna close out my selections this week with. You know, I'm of the age where we grew up with, like, electric guitar was the main instrument of expression and rock and all that other stuff. Right. And so I've always been interested in hearing how it's applied in different ways. We've had Hermanos Gutierrez on the show doing their thing with the double guitar thing. Any number of ways to do it. There's a band from Colombia, It's a trio. They're called Balthus, and they have a new album out called Flesh and Soul. This is the title track. I'm here for it, man. Check it out.

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[Felix Contreras]

It almost has, like, a jam band quality to it.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Well, to me, Felix, it really sounds like Krungman. Do you know Krungman?

[Felix Contreras]

I do not.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, wait, let's. Let's play a little Krungman, because I want you to hear this.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay. The sound is very familiar. This is something that I grew up with. I grew up listening to this sound to go back any number of years. Jazz, you know, surf or whatever, there's, like. There's a way to approach this, the guitar. And I grew up in an era where there were so many ways to do it and so many ways to express that and have fun with it. So, like, whether it's the band that you brought in or Baltas or Hermanos Gutierrez or anybody that's playing a guitar like that, it speaks to me because it's something that I remember listening to. So, yeah, I'm here for it. The name of the album is Flesh and Soul. That was the title track. The band is called Balthus. Okay. Bring us home.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, so, Felix, I have to play you something importantly, because I want to see if you remember this. Do you remember that?

[Felix Contreras]

Yes. That was a moment. I do remember that song.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

That was a pretty, actually, in retrospect, significant moment, Felix. I mean, that was like pre peso pluma en ela sol. Like, that was like, the origin of all of this explosion that we've been tracking now for years.

[Felix Contreras]

Yes, the Mexican regional explosion, like, that was. That was The Precipice.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

It was also one of Edgar Barrera's earliest big songwriting hits. Like this was kind of one of the things that put him on the map as well.

[Felix Contreras]

Really? I didn't know that.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

So that song is a Cristian nodal song. And that's kind of how we talked about it at the time. And that's how a lot of people mention it to the. To this day. But it's also a Hera Emekis song who has just released an ep. It's called Las Que Escrivi y Nuncasake. And it's quite literally that he said it's songs that he wrote years ago, but he held off releasing them because they were so deeply personal. Now, it was really interesting for me to listen to this record because rap specifically is like a very interesting kind of complicated territory in Mexico. I was actually talking to Bobby today, Bobby Carter, series producer of the Tiny Desk, about how Katria Lempo. I don't know if you know this, Felix. They're opening for Kendrick Lamar in Latin America, specifically in Mexico.

[Felix Contreras]

Wow.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Yeah. Wild. And I was trying to explain to him, I was like, Mexico has kind of this tricky relationship with rap. You have Santa Fe Clan, for example, who is obviously super explosive. The city does love it and almost need it, but they don't always want it, maybe, or they think they do. It's like corridos is closer to where they get it and they speak it and they feel it. But the expression that you hear in corridos and in a lot of the rap that they do champion is kind of like this hyper masculine, often violent kind of sound, which within the cultural context is a way that they're able to express themselves. They're able to sing along to a lot of narco corridos or generally corrido songs. And they like that style. But the political in the way that we express things politically in American rap is often left out. Additionally, the vulnerable is not often. There's not a space for it really in Mexican rap. And they don't tend to lean towards those sounds or the sounds of like a US more R B leaning rap, earlier hip hop. But Hera is different to me, Felix. So I want you to hear this track. It's called Unmion.

[Felix Contreras]

Keep it real. Wow.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Super interesting. And really actually unlike anything I've heard coming out of Mexico. Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

Yeah, I was not expecting that at all.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And the way that he plays with sound, the way that he plays with a lot of these, less listened to actually in Mexico. I mean, he's really kind of bringing a lot of what you might hear still in a contemporary American hip hop to Mexico City, to the rest of the country. He himself is from the barrio in San Luis Potosi, and he says. He actually explicitly says everything he learned on the streets was for getting out of them. He's super clean. He has an art school school he founded for kids. And a lot of his rap, yes, is the typical kind of sensational, very like, I'm the best, da da, da type of energy. But there's a nuance and a complexity and a vulnerability in his music. He's honest about his thoughts and confusions. I want you to hear this song, Felix. It's called Ciclo Vital. So one of the lines that really stood out to me, Felix, and a lot of them across the record did. He says, I don't want anyone to keep me in a glass jar. I want to be food for the sea. Bream that's throw me into the sea. Made my brothers on the beach one day fish for me so I can return to my family and close a life cycle. He's just, like, very thoughtful and interesting and poetic in his approach to things. And it's not. I think he's still figuring it out, but he talks a lot about just always working on bettering himself. And that's kind of the intention, the purpose of what he's trying to do with this music. And it's really unlike any project I've heard in the rap scene coming out of Mexico, Mexico City in general. So I don't know, I really loved it.

[Felix Contreras]

We just talked about that last week, didn't we, about how there's so many different things coming out of Mexico City these days.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Definitely. I think you're thinking of Bellefonte, Sensational, super different. Super different.

[Felix Contreras]

Yeah.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

But both, to me, staples, in a way, of the scene there, and both, like, readily and happily and excitedly received in the city. I think that's something people underestimate, is the diversity of taste in Mexico City and what people get excited about. I mean, like, I've said it a million times, it's the epicenter of creation in Latin America right now. Really.

[Felix Contreras]

I would agree with you on that. And it also reminds me of, like, something we talked about last week when I had Pantillon Rococo on the rapping, the flow and everything. Reminds me of Molotov.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Well, and if you'll remember, on that Pantillon track, Sabino was featured. And Sabino is, like, one of the biggest names in Mexico City's rap scene right now.

[Felix Contreras]

Kind of cool how we brought it all together in one song.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

It's like we coordinated it. Felix. Yeah, right. Literally. Yeah, right. That was a couple tracks off of Ere Emequis new ep. It's called Las Que escribi y nunca sake.

[Felix Contreras]

You have been listening to O Latino from NPR Music. Our editor is Noah Caldwell. Thank you so much for joining us. He's our audio editor. Grace Chung is our project coordinator.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Saraya Muhammad is executive producer of NPR Music.

[Felix Contreras]

I'm Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer.

[Felix Contreras]

Thank you for listening.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

So much for listening.

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