It’s winter in the Southern cone, and, musically, it’s getting pretty hot down there. The season has brought new songs and long-awaited albums from some of the region’s most popular artists, who don’t disappoint. Take a listen.
Babasonicos teased the release of their single “La Lanza” with a series of videos of the members of the Argentine pop-rock group on YouTube, offering random observations about their new music. In one video, front man Adrián Dárgelos appears singing “La Lanza,” accompanied only by some microphone reverb.
The band followed up with a gorgeous animated video for the track from their upcoming album, “Romanticismo” (Sony Music Mexico), that press in Argentina reports will go on sale there in September.
Rock quintet Los Bunkers are on tour in Chile starting tonight (August 2) with a concert for a crowd of 10,000 at Santiago’s Movistar Arena, making the official presentation of their album of new songs in five years, after a tribute to Silvio Rodríguez that followed their international breakthrough, “Barrio Estación.” Recorded in Mexico, where the band resides, “La Velocidad de la Luz” was produced by Café Tacuba keyboard player Emmanuel del Real and Yamil Rezec, known for his work with Julieta Venegas, Hello Seahorse, and Zoé. True to those credentials, the production puts a plush pillow of melodic psychedelia behind the band’s assured vocals and vintage guitars.
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The album begins beautifully with the lush guitar ode “Desperdíciame.” The single “Bailando Solo” brings a distinctly ’80s head-bopping beat, before the band rocks out on “La Maldición de mi País.” “La Velocidad de la Luz” (OCESA-Seitrack) is available in the U.S. on iTunes and as an import from Amazon.
Illya Kuryaki & the Valderramas’ Dante Spinetta and Emmanuel Horvilleur retain their reputation as a couple of the funkiest dudes in Argentina with their comeback album “Chances,” just released in the United States (on Sony U.S. Latin). The new record by the sequins-and-leather-clad duo leads nominations for Argentina’s Aug. 21 Gardel Awards.
IKV’s single with retro horns and a rockabilly vibe, “Ula Ula” created a buzz – and an excited Tweet from Oprah Winfrey — in the U.S. when it was used in a recent Target ad.
The latest video off the album is for the track “Adelante.” The romantic pop ballad is a surprise from a group known as Argentina’s original rappers. Sure to alienate some of their fans, but perhaps push IKV toward the Latin pop charts.
Party band Chico Trujillo mixes cumbia with rock, ska and traditional Chilean music, a combination that has brought a huge following to their live shows. The leaders of Chile’s new wave of tropical fusion released “Gran Pecador” this week on Brooklyn’s Barbes Records. Guests on this long-playing fiesta include Inti-Illimani and Angel Parra, the folk-singing son of nueva canción legend Violeta Parra.