Alt.Latino: The beauty of simplicity

Summary

All Songs Considered – Alt.Latino: The Beauty of Simplicity

Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Felix Contreras & Ana Maria Sayer (NPR Music)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Alt.Latino focuses on the “beauty of simplicity” in modern Latin music. Hosts Felix Contreras and Ana Maria Sayer sift through a backlog of exciting new releases, sharing tracks that exemplify how minimalist arrangements, strong lyricism, and deep cultural roots shape some of the most intriguing contemporary Latin sounds. The episode explores music by up-and-coming artists and legends alike, making space for stories about lineage, collaboration, and the evolution of Latin genres.

“The beauty’s in the simplicity.” – Felix Contreras, [12:03]

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Key Discussion Points & Highlights

Clearing Out the Musical "Mailbag"

• Busy Season:
  Ana and Felix recount an exceptionally hectic time, with many music releases stacking up as the year winds down.
  • “I have such a mountain of music... There’s such a pile up of amazing [releases].” – Ana Maria Sayer, [01:45]
• Setting the Stage:
  The episode’s premise is likened to clearing out old-school mailbags (inspired by Felix’s postman father), but stacked with CDs and digital submissions.
  • “Mailbags? That’s old school... My dad used to be a postman.” – Felix Contreras & Ana Maria Sayer, [02:10]

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1. Rath Hersh – “Musas en Me”

• Artist Introduction:
  Rath Hersh, 20, blends masterful songwriting with a minimalist touch, impressing legendary figures like Jorge Drexler and Armando Manzanero.
  • “The lyricism of these songs is like these beautiful, simple, lovely melodies...” – Ana Maria Sayer, [03:21]
• Highlighted Lyric:
  “Solo quiero jugar con tu colección de palabras bonitas.” – Rath Hersh, as quoted by Ana Maria, [03:45] ("I just want to play with your beautiful collection of words.")
• Felix’s Take:
  The arrangements and melodies evoke ‘90s Argentine rock, brought to life with delicate songwriting and sophisticated production.
  • “The simplicity is so intriguing... It adds to the simplicity of that arrangement.” – Felix Contreras, [06:02]
• A Young Artist's Craft:
  Despite his youth, Rath Hersh already displays “incredible lyricism and really simple, yet captivating melodies” that promise a bright future.

Notable Track(s): "Musas en Me" (title track), "Quin Pensaria"
Timestamps: Segment begins [02:30], Felix reaction [06:02]

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2. Ile – “Como Las Canto Yo”

• A Modern Torch Singer:
  Felix shares a track by Puerto Rican vocalist Ile (formerly of Calle 13), marveling at her command of bolero and tropicália sounds.
  • “This sounds so, like, I don’t know, 40s, 50s torch singer bolero... I’m all in.” – Felix Contreras, [08:45]
• Vocal Dynamism:
  Ana discusses Ile’s adaptability and purpose-driven approach, reflecting on her journey from Calle 13 to evocative solo work.
  • “Her strength, first and foremost, forever and always, is the dynamism of her voice.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [09:39]
• Production Praise:
  Producer Ismael Cancel crafts a “sonic palette” that lets Ile’s expressive vocals shine, making the record “drop dead gorgeous.”

Notable Track: "Si Te Contara"
Timestamps: Felix intro [07:20], Ana reflection [09:39]

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3. Tristan – “Voyage” (Madrid)

• Innovation from Madrid:
  Ana introduces Spanish producer Tristan, whose experimental arrangements and playful minimalism break new ground.
  • “It’s congas in space. Literally.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [12:56]
• Musical References:
  Felix draws creative parallels to ‘80s pop punk and new wave bands (like the B-52s), describing the “stark, direct simplicity” that defines Tristan’s work.
  • “The idea of being so simple and so stark and so direct to the point was the point... and I completely missed it [in the past].” – Felix Contreras, [14:35]
• Diversity on the Record:
  Ana urges listeners to experience "the journey" across the whole album (“Tristan Aurora Conrello”), highlighting its stylistic diversity.
  • “Please listen to this... there’s like 25,000 other sounds on this album.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [14:56]

Notable Track(s): "Voyage," "Artiko"
Timestamps: Segment starts [11:29], discussion peaks [12:56–14:56]

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4. Venisonics feat. Pajua – “La Soledad”

• Exploring Diaspora:
  Felix spotlights Venisonics, a project by Miami-based Andres Ponce, featuring Paulina Sotomayor (Pajua), blending Afro-Latin percussion and electronic textures.
  • “It’s just this flowering of African influence in the music combined with... dance stuff, electronic stuff.” – Felix Contreras, [19:10]
• Cultural Reflections:
  Both hosts reflect on the evolving openness within Latin music to embrace and reinterpret Afro-diasporic roots.
  • “They take those sounds and they’re like... let me create [an] exacting conga thing, but then you just replace it with an electronic beat.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [20:56]
• Album Preview:
  Upcoming album "Jaspe" (due November 7).

Notable Track: "La Soledad"
Timestamps: Segment starts [18:09], Ana’s analysis at [20:56]

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5. Meme del Real – “La Montaña Encendida”

• A Legendary Debut:
  Ana introduces the long-awaited solo debut from Meme del Real of Café Tacuba, highlighting “Estaba Sentado.”
  • “Mehme, all these years since, has never released a solo project until now. Lucky us.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [22:30]
• Production Geek-Out:
  Felix admires the intricate production, driven by Meme’s own talents and legendary producer Gustavo Santaolalla.
  • “It’s impossible not to geek out over the production because Mim is an incredible producer.” – Felix Contreras, [23:56]
• Technical Dive:
  The song structure features time signatures that create subtle tension, described in detail by Felix.
  • “What they’re doing with time is magical... it creates friction underneath a simple lyric.” – Felix Contreras, [26:23]
• Personal Anecdote:
  Ana shares a story about Meme’s appearance at Guitarrazos in Mexico City, playing a banda version of "Eres" and illustrating his deep connection to Mexican musical tradition.
  • “His core is that it’s, like, corridos, it’s banda, it’s the heart of the city, and also Mexico at large.” – Ana Maria Sayer, [27:37]

Notable Track(s): "Estaba Sentado," "Embeses"
Timestamps: Segment begins [22:13], deep dive at [26:00–27:37]

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6. Bomba Estereo feat. Carlos Vives – “La Samaria”

• Celebrating Santa Marta:
  The final shared track is a tribute to Colombia’s oldest city, Santa Marta, and its 500th anniversary, delivered by two of its most beloved contemporary artists.
  • “This is a song that celebrates the city of Santa Marta, which is the hometown of both Bomba Estéreo vocalist Lisa and Carlos Vives.” – Felix Contreras, [29:14]
• Legacy & Impact:
  Felix reflects on the enduring influence of Bomba Estéreo in the Colombian and global Latin music scenes, recalling the band’s early days on the podcast.
  • “Their impact, their influence is it's immeasurable.” – Felix Contreras, [30:57]

Notable Track: "La Samaria"
Timestamps: Segment starts [29:14]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Simplicity’s Power:
  “I’m on a simple arrangement kick this week. No. And the beauty’s in the simplicity.”
  – Felix Contreras, [12:03]

• On Vocal Talent and Purpose:
  “She’s someone who is always at the forefront of all of the issues of being Puerto Rican, that she would then go seeking in the files of old sounds for the way that she could properly express herself.”
  – Ana Maria Sayer, [09:39]

• On Reclaiming Heritage:
  “It’s just this flowering of African influence in the music combined with... dance stuff, electronic stuff. You know, I’m always there for the drummer.”
  – Felix Contreras, [19:10]

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Episode Flow & Energy

The episode brims with excitement over musical discovery, friendly banter, and quick-witted observations about genre, heritage, and artistry. Felix and Ana infuse criticism, anecdotes, and laughter while spotlighting both established legends and bold new voices, always returning to the theme of the magic in musical simplicity.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:16] – Show opens; Mailbag/backlog setup
• [02:30] – Rath Hersh: “Musas en Me” segment
• [07:20] – Ile: “Como Las Canto Yo” and bolero resurgence
• [11:29] – Tristan: Spanish producer’s avant-pop
• [18:09] – Venisonics feat. Pajua: Afro-Latin percussion/electronic
• [22:13] – Meme del Real: Solo debut, stories of legacy
• [29:14] – Bomba Estereo feat. Carlos Vives: “La Samaria” tribute
• [31:59] – Closing remarks and future mailbag teasers

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Recommended for…

• Fans seeking under-the-radar Latin music releases
• Listeners curious about how simplicity, production choices, and cultural lineage inform modern Latin genres
• Anyone wanting artist stories, production breakdowns, and vibrant personality-packed discussion

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Transcript

[Announcer]

This message comes from Michelin. More than a tire company, Michelin is an innovation company now taking on space. Developing an airless wheel for space exploration. Motion for Life. [e-mail] y Michelinnovation.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I'm here.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

You're here.

[Felix Contreras]

I had to get a massage this morning.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I need a massage. No, actually, what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to get a massage from this, like, curandera energy healer. Because after my doctor told me I was cursed when he heard about all my history of injuries, I was like, I think I need to go see a curandera and see what's up. Because my friend was like, there must be something wrong. Like, you keep having these weird feet injuries.

[Felix Contreras]

Boy, if I could find a curandera here in Washington, D.C. i have a.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Job for her full time, on the payroll. You have King Spa for that. Felix, it's okay.

[Felix Contreras]

No, I mean for the country. Oh. This is not the politics podcast.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

This is not.

[Commercial Voice]

Sorry.

[Felix Contreras]

From NPR Music, this is all Latino. I'm Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Let the chisme begin.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, Ana, we have been crazy busy the last month.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Crazy. Emphasis on the crazy.

[Felix Contreras]

Amazing. Tiny Dust concerts. El Tiny. Lots of activity, Lots of us moving around. I think we were in Puerto rico. You're in D.C. now. You're where? Where are you now?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Mexico. I finished out the month where I properly needed to finish out the month in Mexico.

[Felix Contreras]

So while we were doing all that, of course our new music stuff backed up.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Of course it did. This has been kind of a crazy experience, Felix, because really, I've never felt such an urge of, like, I have such a mountain of music. I can't. We can't it all in one episode. There's such a pile up of amazing. Like, everyone decided to throw all the best records towards the end of the year, as they often sometimes do.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

This year is no exception.

[Felix Contreras]

So that's what we're doing this week. We're kind of clearing out our mailbags, getting back to whatever it is. Okay.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Mailbags?

[Commercial Voice]

Yeah.

[Felix Contreras]

That's old school.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

The CDs is one thing, Felix, but the visual of the mailbags is really. You've taken it to another level.

[Felix Contreras]

Well, my dad used to be a postman, so that's what comes to mind.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Really?

[Felix Contreras]

Yeah.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I don't think I knew that. Yeah, I've heard it's great for your health. Lots of walking.

[Felix Contreras]

He did a lot of walking. So who's first? Who's on the list?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Can I go first?

[Felix Contreras]

Yes, go. Just.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I know you're first on the dock, but I really am really just way too excited about what I have. So I think I have to go. Okay. You have to understand, I have been waiting to play this record since I first listened to it live. Last time I was Mexico, actually in May is when I first heard this record. And I was like, it comes out next week. And the team's like, no, no, no. It comes out in October. And I was like. So, without further ado, this is Rath Hersh's new album, Musas en Me, and I'm gonna start with the title track, Musas and Me. Okay, so Felix Arat is 20 years old. He started writing songs when he was just 8. And he's been working in the industry for a long time, working with all these amazing collaborators. He did release a first album a couple years ago, but this is really one of his most visible records that he's done. He has co signs, like, basically all of your favorite, most like musicians. Musicians like Jorge Drexler and a Natalia La Forcade and even Armando Mansero. Felix, the old school crooner, literally the legend himself, said that he was an amazing writer and amazing singer. It's his pen, Felix. I mean, the lyricism of these songs is like these beautiful, simple, lovely melodies, and then these lyrics. Like this song where he says, solo quiero jugar con tul colecion de palabras bonitas. Like, I just want to play with your beautiful collection of words. And that's it. Singing to his muse is literally the title track. It's the record. I have to play you another song. It's called Quin Pensaria.

[Felix Contreras]

The simplicity is so intriguing. It's just. It adds to the simplicity of that arrangement. And of course, the lyrics on that song and the one you played before, it sounds like a 1990s Argentine rock band. Right? Wow.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

You know, he worked. He collaborated on this record with Le Volabec, which is like, I don't know if you know who that is, Felix, but he's a very renowned Canadian producer. Worked with a lot. A lot of people. And that's kind of thematically across his record too. If you look at the names on who he worked on with the production, the mixing, the mastering, all of it, they're like, he. The joke is that he spent all of his marketing budget on just getting these, like, amazing collaborators to work on this thing with him. And it really is one of those things where you can feel he's an artist who's so young and yet has really successfully already mastered the craft. Like, just the simple craft. Like, he could go all these different directions with his next records with whatever he does, do some fun production, make something really whatever. But he has that core, which is just, like, incredible lyricism and really simple, yet, like, captivating melodies.

[Felix Contreras]

I'm a fan. Good call.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Those were a couple songs off of Erase's new album, Musa in Me.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I'm going to play a track from the vocalist Ile. The album's called Como Las Canto Yo. It's coming out in a couple days. This track is Si Te. There's so much to say about it that I almost can't even put it into words. But let's hear the track first. You know, when she was in our building last month to record the Tiny Desk concert with Adrian Quesada and the other singers that he had with him, I forgot to ask her. I was gonna ask her because I'd heard a couple of these tracks ahead of time, and I was going to ask her if she thinks that she was born too late, if she's from another era, because this sounds so, like, I don't know, 40s, 50s torch singer Boletto, like, all of the above. And her recording output since she stopped performing with her brothers in call, she's leaned into boletos. She sang with Chell Feliciano on that first record. I mean, she's really leaned into this whole undercurrent of boletos and tropical sounds and this nice, slow, sultry boleto mambo thing that she has going right here. I'm all in. I'm completely in. I think it really suits the. The timbre of her voice because it's so dark and smoky and. And so expressive in just the way she will sing a note or something. So, you know, it's. This is one of those records. I've spent too much time talking about it because you just listen, and I think you can immediately appreciate all the things that she's meant to do. But then also stuff that maybe she didn't realize and other people are going to interpret.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I mean, I think that's a really interesting question, Felix. I love that question, because I've said this before. To me, Ilei's strength, first and foremost, forever and always, is the dynamism of her voice. I mean, I don't know that she was born in the wrong era, because it feels to me that she had tempesar with what she did, which was this era of being in Calle Trece doing a completely Something that was stylistically of its time thematically, not so much. Right. Like, when you think about Calle Trece, it made sense sonically for the moment, but they really did push the bounds in terms of how they did the music, why they did the music, they talked about in the music. And so it makes sense on this journey when you think of her individually being who she is, which is. She's such a fighter. She's someone who is always at the forefront of all of the issues of being Puerto Rican, that she would then go seeking in the files of old sounds for the way that she could properly express herself. And, of course, she had to be born and had to be created and grown up with a voice that could match the message of what she needed to deliver. And that's why, I mean, I hadn't heard this record yet, but I had no doubt when I heard Bolero's Ile, I was like, duh.

[Felix Contreras]

Yeah.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

There was no doubt in my mind that she had it.

[Felix Contreras]

Yeah. What she and her partner, producer Ismael Cancel, have done is just created this really amazing sonic palette for her to just kind of skip over and bounce on and just create all this really wonderful stuff. And each record, the whole record is just drop dead gorgeous. It's another great chapter in the story that is Ile. The album is called Como Las Canto, Yo. That track was called Si Te Contara, and the artist is Ile. Okay, your turn.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

All right, Felix, I've got something weird for you. It's from my little collection of Spanish producers that I love in Madrid. This guy, his name is Tristan. And this song I'm going to start with is called Voyage.

[Felix Contreras]

Get ready to leave, don't come back, move your feet Voyage get ready to leave don't come back, move your feet Hands up. It's hands up, hands up. Your time's up. I will shoot you if I could I will shoot you if I. You're on a simple arrangement kick this week. No. And the beauty's in the simplicity.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Honestly, the second there was, like, a little tickle of a conga, you were like, I started popping.

[Felix Contreras]

Somebody's speaking my language.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Literally. They're like. They're talking to me, but from space. It's congas in space. Literally. I don't even know. Felix, I don't have the words to describe this record because it's like, the description is, listen to the whole thing, because it goes on so many different journeys. I mean, I'm curious what you heard in there. I have some thoughts on what's in There. But there's so many references, so many clear salutes to different legendary artists from the eras, from different geographies and generations and whatever. But it's this group Rusia idk. I don't know what they. Something in the Water in Madrid. I don't know. Like, they're always doing the next innovative thing.

[Felix Contreras]

So obviously, you know, they're their own band and they're doing what they do, but. And as you correctly point out, I'm always listening for something that. That I recognize from in the past or a reference, sonic reference, some kind of reference. And this is. I want to say it was like maybe the mid-80s. It was when I wasn't paying attention to pop music so much, but it was. I was on the periphery. But some of the bands, like, I want to say, like the B52s or some, like, almost punkish in a way, like pop punk in a way, because it's so stark. I used to derisively say, yeah, well, it doesn't take a lot of musicianship to play that music because it was so simple. But. And that may have been the case. Maybe they could play their instruments or not. But the idea of being so simple and so stark and so direct to the point was the point. And I completely missed it when I was listening. When I was, you know, oh, I'm listening to jazz and the Grateful Dead all the time. I don't know, you know, I totally missed it. That's what these guys bring home. They bring home that point of the simplicity of it and the tightness of the arrangement and the kind of wacky vocal over the top, you know, and the lyrics and all that. But it's. I missed it the first time around, so I'm really digging it.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Now I have to play you another song to show you the diversity of what. What is happening on this record. This song is called Artiko. Just simple, simple, simple. There's like 25,000 other sounds on this album. But I'm going to let you. I'm going to implore you, Felix, to please listen to this. I was about to say, get this record in your mailbag, please. Can you get that? The record is called Tristan Aurora Conrello.

[Commercial Voice]

What?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I don't know, Felix. I kind of felt identified in that title somehow.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, let's take a break to think about the meaning behind that title. We're gonna take a break. We'll be right back.

[Commercial Voice]

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[Ana Maria Sayer]

Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I want to play something from a band, a musician that I don't know a lot about, but what I do hear is some really cool percussion. This is a project called Venisonics. It features a Mexican vocalist, Pajua. I'll tell you who they are, but first let's listen to La Soledad. Venisonics is a guy named Andres Ponce. He lives in Miami. He's originally from Caracas. He has another band called Elastic Bond. This is his kind of percussion project that he works on. The vocalist Pajua is Paulina Sotomayor from Mexico. You know, I was having a conversation recently with someone about the African diaspora in Latin America and how up to a certain point it was kind of frowned upon, it wasn't accepted. And my conversation was about how lucky we are to be alive during this time when so many musicians are actually reaching out and digging into the culture, the rhythms, all of the stuff that comes from having a little bit of the African diaspora in their countries. So what ends up happening is a guy like Andres Ponce is able to draw on that. And then, you know, people like Bombasterio, all of these bands, right, they. They draw on that and they create something new, and they celebrate that African heritage in different ways. And that wasn't always the case, as I said. So it's like, it's just this flowering of African influence in the music combined with, you know, obviously, dance stuff, electronic stuff. You know, I'm always there for the drummer. And so this kind of stuff just really speaks to me.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I do, you know, feel as though, especially like, the artists who are doing it. Right. There's something really cool about the way that they manipulate these sounds to reflect their experiences. Because to have that some of that lineage lost and then found again, it wouldn't make sense to revisit the original sounds and create the music exactly as such, right? But they take those sounds and they're like, let me just literally create an exacting conga thing. But then it's like the same exact duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh. But then you just replace it with an electronic beat. You pull in the synth, and it feels just as evocative of that feeling that those drums originally gave you, but just they fit into that person's current experience, and that makes for a really authentic sound. I think that's so cool.

[Felix Contreras]

The name of the band is Venisonics and features a vocalist, Pajua. The name of the track is La Soledad. And the album called Jaspe is coming out November 7th. Can't wait to hear the rest of it. Tag, you're it.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, so Meme Del Real, one of the singers of the legendary Cafe Cafe Tacuba band from Mexico. How would you describe Cafe Tacuba, Felix?

[Felix Contreras]

Groundbreaking rock en Espanol, Latin alternative. Change the nature of what Mexican music can sound like.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Band brought Mexico into modernity, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Yes, exactly. Mehme, all these years since, has never released a solo project until now. Lucky us. So I'm gonna play you a song from it that specifically was one of my favorites. I did talk about this already on New Music Friday and on All Things Considered, but I didn't get to play this song, so we're gonna play it now. It's called Estava Sentado.

[Commercial Voice]

Me.

[Felix Contreras]

It's impossible not to geek out over the production because Mim is an incredible producer. He produces for a lot of other different producers, people, and he's worked, you know, Producing certain aspects of. Of the Cafe Tacuba output. I mean, he learned from the best. Obviously, Gustavo Santo was. Has been a major producer for that band.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

So Gustavo Santa is all over this record.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

They worked on it together and they did all these. It feels like you can hear the way they were like, okay, so if you've been hearing this new stuff, this sounds really cool. Let's take this. Let's. Like, you can hear that all over the record. But this one felt the most like there was Gustavo right there. You could hear it with the Ronroco. It's really a sound that feels like him. So that's why I was like, oh, if I play it for Felix, I wonder if he'll notice. And I love it. It sounds perfect.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, I can't wait to hear the rest.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, I have to play you one more that I wasn't going to play you because I already played it. But I do want to hear your reaction, so I'm going to play it. It's called embeses.

[Announcer]

You.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I'm. I'm gonna totally geek out on this one, because in it. In that section where he's just singing and there's little things underneath, right? All these little beats. It's in three. It's a waltz. It's like. It's a ranchera. It's a waltz. One, two, one, two. Right, It's. And what happens underneath is what they're doing is like, there's. You count it. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. That's the measure, right? 1, 2, 3. But they're starting, like, there's a one part where it's like the first beat is in the last part of the measure. So it's too geeky to explain. But what they're doing with time is magical because it creates friction underneath a simple lyric and this lovely lyric. And it's just. That's the only thing there. And it's creating this, like, this sense of, you know, subconsciously, I think, on the listener, it creates this sense of uneasiness. So that when that comes in, it sounds like a tuba playing. It brings it all back home. You know what I mean? Brilliant.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

No, it's like the kazoo thing, too. It's the kazoo, too. Which is like, a totally interesting choice that I've heard a couple times. Weirdly, like, reminiscent of Botea Tras. Botea? Honestly?

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

From way back at the original, like, the origin of this explosion of corridos. Tados. But okay, so quick anecdote. Meme I don't know why. I always, like, see him everywhere. Like, he's one of these people that every time I'm in Mexico, I always stay in his same place neighborhood, and we like the same coffee shop. And so I always run into him. And I saw him twice last week, and the first time was at this event that my friend throws. It's called Guitarrazos. It's kind of exploded into this really big event in Mexico City where they invite young corridos artists, young banda artists to come play. Recently they started doing this thing where, like, a surprise big artist comes. So I was there on Tuesday night, and Jos Favela shows up, and Mame and Meme does a bandle version of Eres. And it was like this moment. No, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. And it was this moment that reminded me of, like, Meme at his core. That's his core, right? Like, you could strip back all the production and all the ways that Caffetta Cuba and now his solo project are doing all these, like, really innovative and pulling from all these inspirations. And Gustavo Santa La is a huge part of all of that, bringing Argentina. But his core is that it's like corridos, it's banda, it's the heart of the city, and also Mexico at large. It's crazy to me. And that's so when I hear this, it's like, yes, it's taking it into the 21st century in all these ways, but also, he's like, bearing his soul again.

[Felix Contreras]

I can't wait to hear the rest of the record.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

That was a couple songs from Meme del Real's new album, La Montana and Sendida, which is also a great album name.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my gosh. Boy, we got them all stacked up, man. This is so cool. Okay, we're gonna close out with something that just feels good. This is a track by Bomba Esterio featuring Carlos Vives. It's called La Samaria and Let me just play it. Let me just play. This is a song that celebrates the city of Santa Marta, which is the hometown of both Bombasterio, vocalist Lisa and Carlos Vives.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And one of the most beautiful places on this planet.

[Felix Contreras]

It's the 500th anniversary of Santa Marta.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Wow.

[Felix Contreras]

So this is a song celebrating that it's the oldest city in Colombia.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Wow.

[Felix Contreras]

And a city that I am embarrassed that say, I have not had the pleasure of visiting yet. So it's on my list of places to go. But everything about this song is what I enjoy so much about you know, contemporary Colombian music. And when we started doing the podcast 15 years ago, Bono Mysterio was one of the first groups that we played and one of the first bands that I saw at south by Southwest just before we launched that introduced me to the contemporary scene of Columbia and their impact, their influence is it's immeasurable. The track is called La Samaria. That is Bomba Stereo featuring Carlos Vives. Okay, Anna, we have to end this show because we have to go back into our mailbags and dig out money.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I'm already stacked for next week. Felix, you don't even know what's coming. My mailbag is overflowing. Mountainous mail.

[Felix Contreras]

You have been listening to Alt Latino from NPR Music. Our audio editor is Noah Caldwell.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

The executive producer of NPR Music is Saraya Mohammed. And the executive director of NPR Music Music is Sonali Mehta.

[Felix Contreras]

My name is Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer.

[Felix Contreras]

Thank you for listening.

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