Loading summary
Transcript87 lines
- [00:00]
A
This message comes from NPR sponsor Carvana. Carvana makes car buying easy. 100% online prices down to the penny, delivered to your door. Why make car buying hard when it could be easy? Visit Carvana.com today. Terms may apply.
- [00:15]
B
Okay, Felix, I have something to tell you.
- [00:18]
C
Anna, you have many things to tell me, okay?
- [00:21]
B
But the most important, urgent thing I need you to know is that. Yo volle. But don't tell my mom, please, because then she would fly here and kill me.
- [00:34]
C
Just so everybody knows, you are in Mexico City and it's all about football right now. Ila Copa.
- [00:41]
B
Eat, sleep, breathe.
- [00:42]
C
I can't imagine.
- [00:43]
B
Before we get going. Volar, Felix, for those who don't know, let me give the technical definition. It's when you're in the streets, okay, and everyone starts chanting, sequere volar. Sequere volar. She wants to fly. And literally a bunch of people come and pick you up and throw you in the air. And you do indeed fly.
- [01:02]
C
All right, let's distract you from all the celebration, calm you down a little bit before you head out on the streets again today.
- [01:08]
B
Before I head out on the streets because my. The party starts at noon every day.
- [01:17]
C
From NPR Music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Felix Contreras.
- [01:20]
B
And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Let the chi. I said my last name. Wait, I'm supposed to.
- [01:25]
C
You're supposed to.
- [01:26]
B
It's been so long.
- [01:29]
C
You've been Bolando.
- [01:32]
B
My head is voilando, Felix. And my head never came back down. Let the chisme begin. Besides the chisme being that next week I'm dead because my mom definitely heard that I Voila. Let's talk about some new music. So first song that I have today.
- [01:50]
C
All right.
- [01:51]
B
I think you're gonna like it, Felix. I hope you're gonna like it. I don't know. We'll see. It's from the Chicago based artist Sparkle Mommy. And this first track is called no te Vayas.
- [02:02]
C
You're listening to Sparkle Mommy Radio.
- [02:05]
D
We're here.
- [02:06]
B
Anything is possible. Your dreams come alive and your fantasies too.
- [02:28]
D
Sa.
- [02:59]
B
So, Felix, we're in the mode. Even though it's summer and it's the Mundial to contrast all the energy. When we're not out in the streets, it's time for some like smooth cruising. Music is. Is where I've been at. And Sparkle Mommy is like the perfect representation of an artist who does like a very place based thing, right? Like a lot of her sound is kind of like very Chicago Chicano, like Sound straight out of Pilsen, but with like this really nice jazzy tone to it. She has some tracks on this album that are even like Brazil jazz oriented. She grew up singing in the church. I think you can hear that in both her vocals and her stylings. I want to play you another track from her, and it's called Quisiera. De. Yeah,
- [04:30]
C
You've been busy. And I don't know if you had a chance to hear last week's show, but we featured a band that was from D.C. it recorded an album, 1971, and the. The. The tape was rediscovered. That sounds very much like the music they played back in 71, I'm not going to lie.
- [04:47]
B
Well, and this is what I mean by an album that's grounded in place because Chicago Chicano, same with Chicanos in la, Chicanos in other parts of the country. Like, there is a very specific musical tone. It's almost sangre. Like it's almost its own roots. And she, you know, she's from. She was born in Texas but raised her whole life in Chicago. And what I really love about this record is like there's. I mean, I could play you another track that's like pretty Brazilian jazz, Brazilian funky. Like there are moments that really do depart from. From that energy. But this track felt so quintessentially what it means to be Mexican American in Chicago, but with her own spin. Like I've heard a lot of. Obviously, we've talked a ton about revival soul. That's all over the map right now. It's super popular, like what you said, you know, that music from the 70s coming back. But she does something that's very distinctly her own and it makes it feel even more present because it's not just revival. It's actually like a distorted interpreted. Put it through a couple filters, be more global, be more, you know, exploring musically, but still have that. What is her. Like. Rais is soul, which is really fascinating.
- [05:57]
C
It's. It's. Man, this is like 70. I can name you four different bands right now right off the bat. Like soul, jazz bands, R B, funk, like jazz stuff. It sounds exactly like it. It's. And it's. And. And again, it's as I. Some older people that I talked to, some of my peers, they're like, oh, they're just recuping. I said, no, they're. They're revitalizing, they're reaching back, they're re examining, they're acknowledging these. These, you know, these roots that are already there and then putting their own Spin on it. And this is. Oh my God. It's a perfect example. Sounds exactly like the music of Zapata that we played last week, man. It's like I'm there for it. I love this a lot.
- [06:40]
B
That was a couple of songs off of the new Sparkle Mommy album In this Body. And that is her debut album, Felix.
- [06:47]
C
Plus the name, man. How could you not like somebody I know?
- [06:49]
B
Isn't that amazing?
- [06:51]
C
Okay, so I'm gonna start my first track this week with another form of Chicano expression. Curiously, again, we didn't coordinate. It just happened this way. This one is from Austin, Texas. This is a band called the Animeros. They have an album coming out in August. It's called Que Barbar Barbaro. Right, this I'm starting with electric guitar cumbia this week and I can never get enough of it. This track is called Camita. Check it out,
- [07:44]
D
Sam.
- [08:38]
C
Okay, so I've decided that this is my new dance move.
- [08:41]
B
I'm pretending that is not any different than your whole feelings.
- [08:46]
C
I'm pretending I'm driving the car while I'm listening to music. See my hands. Okay, let's get back the music. Okay, forget my dance moves.
- [08:55]
B
Okay, you brought it up.
- [08:56]
C
I know.
- [08:57]
B
I'm just saying I don't bring up your dancing because I don't like to touch sore subjects.
- [09:02]
C
Okay. This band is from Austin. Mario Lopez, guitar. Nicolas Sanchez on bass. Nick Toso on the drums and percussion. Again, it's like this guitar driven, like any kind of electric guitar driven. Cumbia reaches back to chicha. Short recap. It's a form of cumbia developed in Peru in the 60s and 70s, developed by working class communities and also developing these oil boom towns in the Amazon. In the Peruvian Amazon. And it has like this timeless groove. And these guys like really dig into that. This is a remake of a 1971 track recorded by a band called Traffic Sound. They were chicha pioneers. The whole chicha thing, it's a movement. It's like an endless source of this joyous music, slow grooves, you just can't go wrong. And I'm always there for it. This band is called the Animeros. They have an album, a full album coming out in August. The single is called Camita. Can't wait to hear the rest of the record.
- [10:01]
B
I didn't have any commentary besides your dancing, Felix. Okay, it's my turn. Oh, I'm actually quite excited about this next one. Okay. I was not in plan to bring this song or this album onto the show. I was quite resistant because what it is. Is. It's Molaferte, which we love Molaferte, but it's one of these, like, Part two records. Earlier last year, Molaferte released an album called Femme Fatale. This is volume two of that record, which I'm usually not a huge fan of. Volume two's Part Twos, because that feels like it's going to be the extra stuff. No, Felix. Because then I actually listened to it and this is the freaking main event. I am like, actually, you know, we talked about the whole Femme Fatale thing. It feels like she really expanded here on that idea. I mean, there was like, she was playing, obviously with a lot of references and history and really, like, more than a subculture, like the establishing of a certain form of feminism and embracing the feminine and the body and the sexual and all these things. And this next addition to me, Felix, is like a complete just flying of that idea. So I'm gonna play you part of a song. It's called no Le Regales Tu Corazon. And I'm gonna skip to a couple parts. I want to start at the beginning, but it's a nine minute, I think, song, so I want to kind of show you how it transitions. So let's start at the beginning. So this first part of the song, which is a lot of the album, is pretty soft, much softer than the previous or the first part of this album. Like, it's a very kind of sweet, softer, more feminine expression from Mon. I'm gonna skip ahead to about like, 4 minutes, 15 seconds, and you'll see how it starts to shift energetically. So Mon starts to give us, like, these really nice, distorted, weird vocals, which she does sometimes with her production. And then if you go to about a minute before the end, you get what is my favorite part of the song, Really? Like, she takes you through this whole really interesting sonic experience from beginning to end of, like, her on the really beautiful soft vocals, your soft guitar in the beginning. And then we get like, this really gritty, distorted, like, guitar solo. And it's. To me, I mean, Mon has always been a shape shifter, like, especially between different eras. But, like, you get in this one song, what is really, like now what she does within one album as she just continues. It's like she's reinventing herself and her idea of herself and femininity within even solo songs. I mean, it doesn't make sense right now to make a nine minute song by any means for anyone. But that's what she wanted to do. And you kind of get that at different Parts of the album. I do want to play you another track because she included St. Vincent on one of these songs, so I kind of just had to include it. It's called While I'll keep writing songs for you.
- [14:09]
D
There are clothes lying in my brain Reminds of coffee. I have some love for you I feel some fireworks in my belly There are nights when I hate myself and you are the praise While I pay my l Will we be okay?
- [14:48]
C
I've listened to this whole record, like, a few times already.
- [14:52]
D
What?
- [14:52]
C
Yeah, it came out a few weeks ago. And. And it's interesting that she calls this Femme Fatale Part two, because the other one was very strictly based on, like, this 50s style of vocal, like, very stylized. This is the new sound of a Femme Fatale, right? It's contemporary with the electronics, with the instrumentation, all that stuff. The concept is still there, sort of a tortured spirit, right? It's, you know, an expression of feminism in a different way. But see, that's the genius of Mon. Like you said, the shape shifting is, like. She conceptualizes things so brilliantly and the way that the whole record flows, like I said, I've listened to this thing walking around. I've listened to it on Metro. I've listened to it driving around, and it just flows so perfectly, goes through so many different emotions and different textures.
- [15:43]
B
Felix, it's super personal. It's like, Mon is so excellent at defining things just so she can break her own definitions of things. And that, to me, feels very much like what this record was both in. Like, the energy of a Femme Fatale is kind of rebellion against oneself in a lot of ways. It's rebellion against the structures and the systems and the things that we hold, especially as women, within ourselves. And Mon really did that, right, because she's like, here, I'm gonna take a concept and make a concept album, and then I'm just gonna continue on that quote concept. But it's gonna be completely different than what I originally established, and it's gonna be completely me, which is just as valid within my own definition and my own concept. The way she has made herself to be so innovative and true as an artist, I'm consistently so impressed by her. Like, she really is one of the greats.
- [16:34]
C
I've said this before, and I don't say it often. Like, 20, 30, 50 years in the future, Mon La Ferta is gonna be the kind of name that we speak of reference right now of people who were 50 years ago, right? She's gonna be that level with her whole body of work.
- [16:50]
B
100%. That was a couple of songs from Monleferte's new album or continuation of an album, Femme Fatale Part 2.
- [16:58]
C
We're going to take a quick break and then we'll be right back with lots more new music.
- [17:03]
E
This message comes from Satva. In 1775, the Minutemen had Paul Revere pounding on the door to rouse them for battle. Today you've got a toddler, a 5am alarm or a boss who needs it yesterday. Whatever your battle, Saatva builds handcrafted luxury mattresses designed to help you sleep deeper and recover more fully at prices below traditional retail. If it's been a minute since you've had restorative sleep, celebrate this July 4th with up to $625 off at saatva.com
- [17:33]
A
NPR this message comes from NPR sponsor Carvana. Carvana believes selling your car should be easy. Get a real offer down to the penny picked up from your driveway. You may keep waiting for a catch. There isn't one. Sell today@carvana.com pickup fees may apply.
- [17:51]
E
This message comes from BetterHelp. People talk about mental health more openly now, but asking for help can still feel hard. BetterHelp's 2026 State of Stigma report surveyed 2,000Americans and found that 85% believe getting support is wise, yet 74% say society discourages people from doing so. Don't let stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com NPR and we're back.
- [18:22]
B
Felix, what do you have to compete with my great last track?
- [18:25]
C
I don't know if it's a competition. It's just another foray.
- [18:28]
B
It's always a competition.
- [18:29]
C
It's another foray into another area of music. I brought in a track by an artist named Yvette Luna. She's from Mesquite, Texas, which is just outside of Dallas. She has a new single called Making Waves or Abriendo Caminos. It's a bilingual track. Let's hear the English part. Check it out.
- [18:51]
D
I woke up feeling grateful with the sun in my eyes. Reminded of your faithfulness in my life. I looked at my worries and I said goodbye. I'm done with the doubts, only to question why. Cause I got a friend who's with me every time, every time you're making waves when all I know is waiting in the wilderness. Take me to places I would never go, But I know you know best. Doing things only you could. And it's always for my good. I see where you left me. I Know where you'll get me so I'll give you praise. Cause you're making waves yeah, you're making waves.
- [19:47]
C
Ana Evith Luna is a Christian artist.
- [19:49]
B
Okay.
- [19:49]
C
And here's where I got this. I got an email from a publicist pitching this track and this artist. And it reminded me of something I've been thinking about for a long time. That idea of contemporary Christian music, and specifically in the Latin music space. Now, I will admit that, because my own personal ideas about religious music and religion in general, like that, that part of the music industry, I didn't really know anything about. And I. And I did a little bit of research on it. It's a very, very big part of the recording industry in both English and Spanish. You know, reports are indicating that there's a large, large growth there, and it's fueled largely by Gen Z and millennials right now. And that Yvette Luna, her grandfather was a minister in Mexico. Her uncles were involved in worship communities here in Texas. She was attending a Baptist college, majoring in business, and then had a moment when she said she had a spiritual encounter that led her to a path of musical ministry. And I think that a lot of people don't want to give that part of the industry or those artists their props, even while at the same time, we celebrate things like the power of the African American church and the influence over people like Aretha and how it's, like, completely influenced the rest of us. You know, the Latin side, a lot of reverence for, like, Santeria Lucumi music, which is also a form of spiritual expression. And it just made me really want to, like, I think I'm going to spend a little bit more time digging into this part of the industry, because those lyrics, it's not like, right in your face, like, you listen to me. It's a celebration of her relationship with, you know, what she calls her Lord. Right. It just made me listen a lot closer. I just need to know more about it.
- [21:43]
B
You know, Felix, I think that we've discussed this a bit before and more in the past, but especially when you talk about Latin America and music from Latin America, like the church, concepts of the church. Music, especially from the church, is so fundamental to the majority, honestly, of the music that we're talking about. I went to the basilica last weekend in Mexico City, and you're standing there and you're listening to this beautiful choir. Beautiful. And I was with some friends, and we're all kind of discussing. This is the basis for pretty much all of our musical experience for so Many people, Latinos, people in Latin America. The basis, the fundamental introduction to music is, for many years, the church and more. So, like, that spiritual power, right. That comes from spaces like, that comes from music constructed for that. It pulls on something really deep and really. And really profound. And so I think it actually makes a lot of sense to pay more attention to what's happening in that world, because it's where most of the other stuff comes from.
- [22:48]
A
Yeah.
- [22:48]
B
You know, I've been feeling lately, listening to a lot of music, that it feels quite empty. And this feels. You know, it feels more profound to pull from something as, like, concrete.
- [22:59]
C
Right. The artist is called Yvette Luna. She has an ep, and it's basically a couple of different versions of the same song. Making Ways or Abriendo Caminos. I think it's your turn.
- [23:08]
B
Of course it's my turn. That means it's about to get good. Okay, so we're going to Brazil. I tried. I gave you two tracks that were not from Brazil, but here we go, a track from Brazil. This is a song called Atras Docentir. This is from Brazilian artist Tijolo. It's like I said, Felix, my era of smooth writing music, and this album is all just really sweet listening. It's funny to me because it feels like it could almost fit into a nice little sweet, like, American indie space, but from Brazil and everything from Brazil. Right. Like, comes with that texture of the most insane, beautiful, massive legacy of just, like, valuing the songwriter and the songwriting and the singer, songwriter. And so I love to hear, you know, that texture fit with what is, to me, like, on this album, specifically, a more American styling. I want to play you another song.
- [25:16]
D
It's called Gosto do Soli Masa.
- [26:28]
B
I love a simple album right now, Felix. Everyone's trying to, like, bring world peace right now with their records and, like, literally unite all of the Americas of the world sonically in one track. And this is, like, very subtle. There are moments, you know, where. Where Tejolo does this. I mean, he has a song on here that almost has, like, a milonga kind of tone to it. Like, there's subtle influences from everywhere, but very subtle.
- [26:52]
D
Small.
- [26:53]
B
And mostly, it's just sweet to listen to. It's not trying to be too much or do too much. And I think that's also really lovely to have right now.
- [27:03]
C
Agreed.
- [27:04]
B
That was a few songs from the
- [27:06]
C
new Tijolo album, E. Okay, again, we're the same person. I'm gonna finish with the Brazilian track. I'm gonna barge in on your passion for contemporary music.
- [27:18]
B
You can't take my passion for Brazilian music. I'm so sorry, but that is mine.
- [27:22]
C
Well, I'm gonna play a track from a new album, Momo. It features a Brazilian music legend, Marcos Valle. This is called Morena.
- [27:49]
D
More than I.
- [28:23]
C
It is. Momo is an artist from Brazil. He's been making records for about 20 years. He's been around for a while, and I've heard some of his stuff in the past. Even before we started the show. I remember hearing his name somewhere. And it's. It's your favorite mashup of Tropicalia, Afrobeat, folk, rock, psychedelia, jazz.
- [28:47]
B
You're right.
- [28:47]
C
An MPB musica populara. And Marcos Valle is one of these guys. He's a contemporary of like, Milton Nacimiento. Like, he's an og. He was there just exploring and creating this stuff. And he's had this long, prolific career, even now, like collaborating with, you know, younger musicians like Momo. But then also he did a thing with this thing, this collective called Jazz is Dead. These musicians who are like combining jazz with all these different things, like Afrobeat from Africa. And they did this really wonderful project with Marcos Valle. This record is from start to end, just an amazing collection of stuff. Amazing, amazing music. This is Morena featuring Marcos Valle. The artist is Momo, and the album is called Tum Tum Tum. And it came out already in mid June. You have been listening to Alt Latino from NPR Music. Our audio editor is Noah Caldwell.
- [29:48]
B
The executive producer of NPR Music is Saraya Mohammad.
- [29:51]
C
And Sonali Mehta is executive director.
- [29:53]
B
And by the way, Felix and I, we get tired of talking to each other. We would rather hear from you. So leave us a review because that's one way to talk to us. Or send us an email@altlatinopr.org that is altlatinonpr.org I say that like I'm doing in Annuncion. You could just rewind the podcast. Anyways, we would love to hear from you.
- [30:13]
C
We sure would, man. I'm Felix Contreras.
- [30:16]
B
And I'm Ana Maria Sayer.
- [30:17]
C
Thank you for listening.
- [30:33]
E
Support for this podcast and the following message come from Data iq. AI agents are transforming how enterprises work. The problem is, many operate in secret. The right people rarely know what their agents are doing, if they're doing it right, or that they even exist at all. DataIQ gives companies one place to see, control and measure every agent across the entire business. Visit dataiq.com NPR that's D A T A I K U.com NPR recently, cybersecurity
- [31:07]
C
researchers discovered a striking computer virus seemingly
- [31:11]
B
related to the conflict between the US
- [31:13]
C
And Iran over Iran's nuclear program.
- [31:17]
B
Everything about this thing screams special a cunning cyber weapon meant to gaslight nuclear scientists. Listen to Planet Money on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.