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- [00:01]
A
I don't know. Tell me about your life, Issa. What's going on?
- [00:04]
B
What's going on?
- [00:05]
A
Just being fabulous, as per always.
- [00:07]
B
I'm just. I'm, like, so happy that the trees are blooming and it's, like, defrosting in New York, and it feels like life is literally worth living again.
- [00:15]
A
Oh, this is good. I'm glad we're realizing that.
- [00:19]
B
Yeah. How are you?
- [00:20]
A
Fabulous. I'm equally as elated. I love sunshine. I love spring. I love spring energy. It is my favorite, favorite time of year.
- [00:29]
B
Me too.
- [00:29]
A
Felix. Speaking of spring energy is out with, I guess, a bad case of allergies. I don't really know. The point is, is it's always my favorite day. Don't tell Felix when he's like, ah, I can't. Because then I'm like, well, Issa can. So I'm really excited because we haven't really chatted about new music in a while. I immediately saw you brought some music that I am equally as excited about. So let's. Without further ado, from NPR Music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Ana Maria Ser.
- [00:58]
B
And I'm Isabela Gomez Armiento. Let the cheese, mate, begin. Yay.
- [01:10]
A
Okay, so I wanna let you go first, because this first track that you brought was like. I was kind of bitter. I was like, wait, no, this was, like, my shining track, like, album that I was so excited to bring. But it's okay. Cause we can talk about it.
- [01:23]
B
So we can talk about it. We can talk about it.
- [01:25]
A
Go ahead.
- [01:25]
B
I'm sorry to steal your thunder. My first song is. It's the opening track off of a new album by the Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Donasimiento. And it's this really sweeping cinematic project that he worked on with the Vitor Santos Orchestra. So this is the song O Tempo from the new album Vill. Sam.
- [02:37]
A
God, I freaking love this whole album.
- [02:39]
B
I mean, this is what going on a walk in spring feels like.
- [02:41]
A
No, literally, I literally. I've been walking around listening to it. Like, it's like sophisticated Disneyland.
- [02:47]
B
Yes, it totally feels a little bit like a Disney soundtrack. And it's like, you know, like the woodwinds come in and the strings come in and the guitar is, like, rooting all of it.
- [02:56]
A
And they're like, ooh, there's a bunny jumping.
- [02:59]
B
There goes a little fox scurrying across a yard. The first two minutes of the song are all instrumental, and it's just so rich. And again, it's like, I love how all of the different parts of the Orchestra sort of trickle in, but the guitar is really the constant that, like, keeps the whole thing together. And then by the time the vocals hit, like, two and a half minutes into the song, it's just like, oh, what a lovely surprise. I didn't even know we were going to hear a human voice.
- [03:50]
A
I think the really amazing thing about him is you don't often get a guitarist who is. So. He's a guitarist functioning as a conductor, both him and his instrument. Right. And you don't see a lot of guitarists, I think, who want to necessarily or have the forethought to give that kind of, as you described it, cinematic space to their music. You know, it's very focused on, like, my chord progressions and, you know, this really cool whatever that I'm doing. And I think to recognize that these other very seemingly could be overbearing instruments could be something to really support. And you see those instruments coming in and out throughout the whole album in this really tasteful way that we said kind of creates this beautiful scene of newness, of spring, of growth. Because he, I think, invites all of that beautiful instrumentation in.
- [04:42]
B
Yeah, I agree. It's like all of the different parts of the orchestra are in a constant dialogue with him and with one another. And it just. To me, this album really does feel like going on that first walk on the first spring day of the year, and the little flowers are blooming and the trees are sprouting and everyone's outside and, like, all your neighbors are waving at each other. Maybe this is a very Park Slope, Brooklyn experience, but I think if you live somewhere with seasons, like, this is what it feels like. And especially, I think, to have this be, like, the opening track of the album, it really sets you up for what the entire project, sort of the journey that the entire project takes you on, 100%.
- [05:14]
A
And thank you for bringing this in, because I was about to be like, this is a bad look. I literally only bring in Brazilian music. So you did it for me.
- [05:22]
B
No, it's our year of. It's our year of leading into Brazil so much.
- [05:25]
A
There's. There's no other option at this point.
- [05:28]
B
Yeah. That was the song O Tempo off the new album Villa by Fabiano Donasimiento and the Victor Santos Orchestra.
- [05:35]
A
Okay, I'm going to take us to Spain. I found these guys. Issa, I'm so curious what you think about this. Cause it is like, I was listening to this album and I was like, this is really bizarre, and I love it.
- [05:47]
B
I'm excited. I'm excited.
- [05:49]
A
The Band. The duo is called La Plasuela, and this track is called B12.
- [05:57]
B
Ooh. Funky bass line. Can't go wrong.
- [06:00]
A
Can't go wrong.
- [06:59]
B
This is giving Spanish parcels. That's what I thought. I love.
- [07:06]
A
I think you're gonna love the whole album. This is Spanish duo La Plasuela. It's Miguel Idalgo Sierra and Luis Avril Martin. They're like, as Andalusian Espana. Espana as you can possibly be. And what's so striking to me is you hear it and you're like, oh, we got this cool, like, exactly, like, funky bass line, disco vibes. No seque. And then this flamenco vocal.
- [07:29]
B
I was gonna say the Spanish rasp. The deep Spanish rasp.
- [07:34]
A
It's, like, so specific and unmistakable. Like, you can't listen to this and not be like, oh, wow, that's Espana. Like, that's like. And it's really fascinating as you listen to the whole record, the interplay, because it feels like, inherently, you would think it's so incompatible. Like, this vocal, I have never heard over this kind of track, but it works in this really cool way to me.
- [08:01]
B
Yeah. I'm fascinated. I'm gonna have to dig in because I do think, you know, we always have this sort of, like, disco funk elements coming back into contemporary pop.
- [08:09]
A
Totally.
- [08:09]
B
But it's so funny because it is kind of a vintage sound, but then paired with something as sort of like, traditional and imposing as a Spanish vocal of that kind, as a flamenco male singer's voice, it just, like. It's old, it's new, it's fresh. It's just. I love it.
- [08:24]
A
Yeah. You're, like, in the bar, and the old dude is like, ah, like, doing the thing, but you're like, why am I listening? But why am I listening to Parcels?
- [08:35]
B
It's Gypsy Kings meets Parcels, which is two combinations of things that I like.
- [08:41]
A
I just didn't know I liked them together.
- [08:43]
B
Yeah. Two very distinct groups of men all blended into one.
- [08:47]
A
All said that. I want to play you a little bit of one more track that leans a little more into the flamencoesqueness. This song is called Solo Eres Pani. So much happening. So much happening.
- [10:14]
B
Yeah. I'm obsessed. I mean, I. There's. It's just so interesting, like, the little R and B moment, you know, the sort of, like, slow tempo. He comes in with, the little pop hook. I mean, it's so fun. And it just kept going in new directions.
- [10:28]
A
It kind of feels like you're, like, sitting there listening to some of like the older Spanish cantantes for a second, like. And I'm not even talking flamenco. I'm actually talking about more what he represents and with those strings and whatever. And then you have Jose Angeles Toledano, who is an amazing, beautiful, just like, flamenco voice. And her project is just this gorgeous contemporary flamenco. And she so firmly ties it right to the. The flamenco of it that is clearly at the center. But then you have all of these elements happening around and there's almost something a little electronic there and a little. Like, it exists in 10 time periods, but, like, really nice. It's like all a little bit gritty. Like, it's all a little bit, like, you're like, this almost doesn't work, but I think it does. And that's what makes it really special to me.
- [11:12]
B
No, it totally does. It feels very nostalgic but new at the same time, which is, you know, I'm always a big fan of that push and pull.
- [11:20]
A
That was a couple of songs from Lugar Numero Cero parentheses dly by the duo La Plasuela. Okay, Issa, next pick.
- [11:31]
B
I gotta do it. I'm taking us back to the Caribbean.
- [11:34]
A
Of course, we always.
- [11:35]
B
At least once, you know, I'm sorry, like, I can't help myself. Obviously. I'm taking us to Venezuela in particular. This is a song by the trio Mother Flowers, and it's off of their new album, Que Bailang y Lo Cuente. This song, which I really like, is called Tamarindo. So, yeah, you know, just a little bit of tropical pop. This is almost like a little bit of hip hop, a little bit of. A little bit of tropical pop, I think. You know, the female vocalist Ire Pelusa, she also releases music on her own and she did backing vocals at Rawayana's tiny desk. Something about the clarity in her voice. She's so soft spoken, but it just always perks my ears up a little bit. Yeah, this is just a fun song.
- [13:20]
A
I love that hip hop element too, because that's something we, I think, don't often get to see in conversation with each other. Like Venezuela, that has this incredible rich history and present with hip hop, with rap, all of these things. And of course, its side of being having amazing tropical music and our tropically toned music, or whatever you want to call it. And to hear those things fit really nicely together. Like, it worked really well for me in this song.
- [13:46]
B
Yeah, it comes up in a lot of places on the album too. Like, there's one song that's sort of like a 90s salsa, and it has Orestes Gomez playing the drums. Acapella does a verse rapping like. I think they're very playful, I guess, is how I describe Mother Flowers. Like, to me, it's like that intro to the song is almost a little bit like a jingle to a video game, you know? And then it gets into the really tropical instrumentation. Like, I just. Yeah, they're really dynamic and really sort of light hearted. To me, it almost feels a little bit like old Bombasterio, but just a little bit. A little bit higher frequency.
- [14:15]
A
Well, and they're really representative, I think of, like, to me, the key, best parts of what is the Venezuelan music scene. I think you see a lot of really rich, lovely collaboration because it's not that big. Everyone's spread out, but everyone knows each other and everyone is kind of like, let's do this together. And I think, like, this specifically is a really nice representation of pulling from all those parts and doing that successfully. And that's my favorite part of the general larger Venezuelan scene too.
- [14:43]
B
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. It's like everyone's always on each other's projects and you can hear it and it's familiar, but they always bring something new. It's fun. They keep me on my toes. That was the song Tamarindo by Mother Flowers off of their most recent album, Que Bailang y Lo Cuenting.
- [14:58]
A
Okay, we're gonna take a quick break, Issa. We'll be right back. Don't worry. I have something really fun coming up.
- [15:03]
B
I'm seated.
- [15:05]
A
Okay. And we're back. Okay, so this one is kind of like a fun, weird. It's a Chile thing. Everything that comes out of Chile, it's just. It's a Chile thing. I don't know what else to say about it. They have their own world, their own language, and their own very specific culture. So this is a song off of the new album from Matcha, il bloke Deprecivo. The song is called Ques lo que Pasa.
- [16:18]
B
As we. Wow.
- [16:39]
A
So, okay, Matcha il bloque de presido is actually a side project, a massive side project of the artist Matcha, who principally is part of the group Chico Trujillo, which is like this really beloved big cumbia band in Chile. And the way I think of it, Issa, is like, Chile is like, you know, the small town in, like, the Hallmark movie where, like, the same lady owns, like, the ice cream shop and the pizza shop and like, all the whatever, like, all the same. That's Matcha with music in Chile. Like, matcha has like 10 side projects and you could go anywhere in Chile and you're gonna hear a Matcha project, you know what I mean? Like, it might be Chico Trujillo, it might be El Bloce de Presivo, whatever it is, but Matcha is always there. And the fun part is, is like, it really. I mean, speaking about that kind of like, oh, everyone coming together, that group element, like, that's what this project is. The album is called Bronciado de Cantina. And the lore, allegedly the lore is Matcha has this house where he takes everyone and someone fell asleep on the roof and got like sunburnt and he was like, ha ha, Tevez Bronciado de Cantina. And like, that was. I mean, they've only ever released this project, this macho project has only ever released one album. But these are songs they've been playing for years. Oh, fascinating. Like, these are songs that have been like, they've been touring, they just kind of didn't bother to do it type of thing. I do want to play one more. They did a cover of Turista, obviously, famously the Bad Bunny.
- [18:16]
B
So. I love the dissonance between the sort of playfulness and melancholy in both of these songs that you just played me. I mean, I'm. I was going to ask how Bloca de Presivo sort of fits into the kind of music that Matcha makes because it has this sort of saudage y sort of like longing, which I think is also very like part of like the Bandon in Argentina. This sort of just deep melancholy that comes out even when it's kind of like we're having drinks and we're having fun, but we're all a little bit like torn on the inside.
- [20:02]
A
Well, even that cover of Turista, right, Is like, so it's so Chilean. Like, to me that's the thing is Matcha is so Chilean and he has this big cumbia project, right, which is a certain variety also for like a big cumbia Chilean project is one interesting thing. And then this is the other where it's like, it's him being embodying this fragment of the Chilean psyche, the Chilean discourse, which is like humorously there. That's the thing that they are, right? Like they are very always a little bit like kind of fussed but funny, but depressed but like in a funny way and a little bit sulky, a
- [20:43]
B
little bit light hearted at the same time.
- [20:45]
A
It's hard to describe the Chilean brand of Humor. I'm like, I don't know. El mejorpai yis te Chile. Yeah. Like, I don't know what to tell you, but I say side project. And it's like he played that cover of Turista to a audience of 30,000 people at El Estadio Nacional as a couple months. Like, that was a few months ago. And so it's just. It's this micro. Like, this is his pizza shop and Chico Trujillo is his sushi spot. Like, he's doing all these versions, which I think is really amazing, that he has this endless stream of ideas and types of music he wants to make. And as opposed to just one band that does a thing and you try all these different things, he's like, no, I want to have distinction. Kind of like holding places and distinct collaborators where I can explore that. And you see across the album, too. It's. It's tons of. It's his whole. It's his world, but just represented in an album and the people he makes things with. And I just think he's hilarious, honestly. Yeah.
- [21:43]
B
Yeah. I like that kind of world building through different projects. And I'm always so fascinated when people have songs or, you know, arrangements of configurations of band members that they perform with live frequently. And then it's like, when does that finally transfer over into being a recorded project? It's so fun, I'm sure, for people who've been seeing this live for a long time, to finally have a recording that they can listen to.
- [22:04]
A
Right. And also to not to kind of take away the urgency and the preciousness of it. Like, oh, we just didn't even think to record it.
- [22:10]
B
Yeah.
- [22:10]
A
That was a couple of songs from the new Macha y Bloque Deprecivo album Bronciado de Cantina. Issa, this is your last one. I can't believe it went so fast.
- [22:20]
B
It just. Time flies when you're having fun, you know, that's what they say. And I'm always having fun. I'm always having fun with you. So. Okay, I'm gonna end this on a bit of a moodier note. I'm taking us into La Discoteca. We're going to Elantro this. Yeah, it's nighttime.
- [22:39]
A
It's a vibe I'm in my personality.
- [22:42]
B
Yeah, exactly. It's the vibe. This is a song by the DJ producer really likes sound architect Rosa Pistola. It is the single Conejo y Luna off of her forthcoming album Incorrehible. One. So my understanding is that opening poem and some of the chanting throughout this track is in the indigenous language of Nahuatl. And she's just really doing this interesting thing of marrying sort of the ancestral with the modern, you know, with the contemporary, with electronic, with this EDM sort of trance thing, and really trying to create this sort of connection across time. It almost reminds me of, like, that one scene in Sinners, you know, where it's. You're really trying to stretch the boundaries of sort of. Yeah, like going all the way back to the indigenous Aztec traditions into the modern day anthro dance floor and really trying to marry the two and create sort of a spiritual connection through movement and through dance. I haven't seen Rosa Pisola sets live, but I've heard amazing things about her. I believe she's based in Mexico City.
- [24:33]
A
This is one of those things that I think I've seen, like, some of the most interesting projects to me right now are those that are taking indigenous sound language, whatever it might be, and incorporating that with the electronic. There's something really cutting about that. And, like, it's like, undeniably contemporary. It's undeniably present. It's like, not something, you know, if you try to go with a more traditional instrumentation or meld it with even just like a sound that is not as popular, not as much in the present, it's kind of easy to ignore or easier to not dive into. But when you put it so directly in people's faces, like, no, you're gonna love this. You're gonna listen to it, you're gonna dance to it. And this is me presenting something that I want you to experience. There's something really gripping to me about that. And I love what you just played. I'm like, I'm gonna go listen to the whole thing.
- [25:29]
B
Yeah. And it's interesting too, because she's someone who's dabbled in all sorts of club music. I mean, she did a boiler room set with DJ Playero of like, you know, reggaeton pioneer fame.
- [25:37]
A
So, yeah, DJ Playero being one of the founding DJs of reggaeton, no big deal.
- [25:43]
B
Only one of the people who created, you know, that little genre known as reggaeton that some of you might know.
- [25:47]
A
That little genre, reggaeton, whatever, you know,
- [25:50]
B
she's worked in these more sort of traditional reggaeton dembo genres. She's obviously, you know, she's from Mexico and builds on a lot of Mexican cumbias and Mexican rhythms. But, yeah, I think there's something so overt about the way that she's sort of incorporating the language and the chanting into this particular track. I'm really excited to see how it plays out on this new project because it just feels very intentional and spiritual and, like, deeply personal for her, I'm sure. But also kind of like transcendental thinking about being at the club, surrounded by people experiencing this. Like. I don't know. I was very moved by it when I first heard it. And I'm very excited to hear the full album. So that was the song Conejo y Luna by Rosa Pistola off of her forthcoming album Incorregible.
- [26:35]
A
Okay. I'm also taking us a little sad, but very different sad direction because I'm going to northern Mexico because I love these guys up there doing their cute little indie thing. It's amazing. This in particular is the new album from the artist Nino Viejo. This track is called Todas Las Vegas Places. They're so emotional. They're so. There's something. You know, there's this cohort of, like, the Ed Maverick, Kevin Carl. Nino Viejo is part of that. That crew specifically. He's making music with Ed. That was Ed on that song on his label. Oy es mbwendia Sounds familiar. Literally, Oy zumbwendia in Chihuahua. There's something, I think, that makes it especially magnetic because what we know to be true about Norten Yo Men is. Is to be completely separate from the emotion, the emotional. This is like, just notoriously what it is. That is culturally how most of them are raised. And so for these boys to be making these music that's so deeply sentimental and soft and lovey and broken and la la la, la la.
- [29:05]
B
Yeah, they're the sweet, sad boys.
- [29:07]
A
There's a magnetism to it, I think, for a lot of people. Nino Viejo, specifically, he's from Mexicali. His name is Baruch Argil, which, if you've ever been to Mexicali, isa like, desierto total. Like, it's just.
- [29:22]
B
I haven't.
- [29:22]
A
I want to go desert and Chinese food and shopping malls. And here's this boy making this beautiful, beautiful, sad, lovey music. So the whole record is really cute. It's called Siempreai Algomaz. And, you know, he does like, a bolero on some tracks. But it always has this kind of like, lo fi indie, kind of cute little guitar thing too. And if you want to know what I'm walking around listening to In Primavera, like, it's this dude. So.
- [29:51]
B
Well, knowing you, that doesn't surprise me. And I say that in the best way possible. It's just like a little bit in your feels but not too in your face, you know, I love that combination.
- [30:02]
A
Exacto. That was todo las veces from the new Nino Viejo album Siempre hay algomaz. Issa. We did it.
- [30:14]
B
We did it. I have so much new music to go home and listen to. Thank you. I know.
- [30:18]
A
Me too. I'm like, wow, so much to walk around and smell the flowers with so
- [30:23]
B
many walk playlists to put together. Thank you so much.
- [30:26]
A
Exactly. Thank you so much for coming. You should come back, like next week. I haven't checked with my co conspirator, but I think it's fine.
- [30:35]
B
I mean, don't threaten me with a good time. I will pull up. So a qui nos namos?
- [30:39]
A
You have been listening to Alt Latino. Our audio producer is Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Saraya Muhammad. The executive director of NPR Music is Sonali Mehta. And if you enjoyed this episode, we always appreciate a positive review or any review on Apple or Spotify or whatever app you're listening to right now. And we always love hearing directly from you. Send us an email@altlatinonpr.org tell us what's on your mind. It can be anything. I'm Ana Maria Ser.
- [31:08]
B
And I'm Isabela Gomez Sarmiento.
- [31:11]
A
Thank you so much for listening. Yay.