Lost in MySpace

Special edition with mp3s! Just because I felt like it ;)

Many were surprised by the nomination of Colombian singer-songwriter Monica Giraldo for Best Newcomer in the upcoming Latin Grammys, but her soft, jazzy latin pop deserves everyone's attention. Listen to "Por Verte Llegar" and get carried away by the purity of her voice and the delicacy of her music.

Monica Giraldo - Por Verte Llegar mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon

Mexican hipster netlabel Poni Republic embraced the acoustic indie pop duo Jóvenes y Sexys from Venezuela. "El Reloj" is a rhytmic pop song characterized by melancholic vocals and soft acoustic guitar, a little gem of a song that promises a lot for the future. Jóvenes y Sexys have only released one EP (Bruno) so far, but you can download it totally gratis at the Poni Republic blog!

Jóvenes y Sexys - El Reloj mp3 myspace

When three different promotors mention the same artist, you can bet something's buzzing. Alonso Brito is a Miami Cuban singer-songwriter with an instantly recognizable deep bass voice. His mixture of Caetano Veloso, salsa and sixties rock still has to grow on me, but it has potential. Check out "Bandolera" from the Santo Bueno EP.

Alonso Brito - Bandolera mp3 buy@iTunes myspace

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Electronic: Bostich+Fussible, The Pinker Tones

The Tijuana based electronica conjunto Nortec Collective is back with a follow-up to the Latin Grammy-nominated 2006 album The Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3. Two key members of the five-piece collective, Ramón 'Bostich' Amezcua and Pepe 'Fussible' Mogt, teamed up for Tijuana Sound Machine (Nacional Records), an electronic voyage into the deep north of Mexico, its deserts, and its polka-meets-mariachi norteño music.

Their contemporary update of the highly conservative norteño is entertaining and diverse whilst never losing touch with the roots. Clever beats accompany the quick-paced accordeon and bass rhythms, with layered vocals or echoing trumpet samples alternating in the lead role. Perhaps the biggest achievement is a sound that is uniquely their own, despite the similarities with other electronic-ethnic artist like Mexican Institute of Sound and The Pinker Tones (below). Tijuana Sound Machine puts their hometown yet again on the map as a crossing point between cultures and a leading centre of electronic experiment.

Nortec Collective presents Bostich+Fussible - Tijuana Sound Machine mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon


The Pinker Tones are another electronic collective based in Barcelona, ready to conquer the world from their tiny rooftop studio with a very international sound. For starters, their latest album Wild Animals (also on Nacional Records, available digitally from May 20th) is in English most of the time. And then there's the sound: funky electro-pop with an indie egde, balancing between German techno pioneers Kraftwerk ("S.E.X.Y. R.O.B.O.T."), disco pop sensation Miranda! ("The Whistling Song") and modern electrotrash like Digitalism ("Fugaz"). Songs in four languages, the diverse influences and the general fun atmosphere make Wild Animals a very pleasant and eclectic listening experience. Ideal for the summer! The track below, "Electrotumbao", is graced with the always excellent Amparo Sanchez (Amparanoia) on guest vocals.

The Pinker Tones - Electrotumbao mp3 buy@Amazon

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Electronic: Pacifika - Asuncion

'Global' is the only right word to describe Pacifika. This Vancouver-based trio is comprised of a Peruvian singer with a love for flamenco, a dub infused bassist raised in Barbados, and a Canadian guitarist with roots in 80's new wave. That's eclectic for ya. The result is Asunción, an international yet unique sounding album filled with minimalistic electronic pop.

Opening track "Sol" will inevitably remind you of Aterciopelados, although the ethereal voice of singer Silvana Kane and the more spiritual sound and theme of this song are the only points of comparison. Nature is however a recurring theme on the album: also see the flamenco-infused "Paloma", the mystic "Las Olas", and the single "Me Caí". It's a great single, with warm percussion, guitars and delicate electronica provoking scenes of sunshine and happiness. More melodious merriness on "Oyeme", an uplifting and energetic song uniting the best of the poppy voice of Silvana and the skilled guitars of Adam Popowitz.

If Pacifika prove one thing, it's that they sure can relax. "Estrellas de Miel" is a jazzy acoustic song suited perfect for a late-night bar performance, "Cuatro Hijas" has Silvana in a sultry mood and floats on delicate guitar arpeggios, joined by warm and smooth cellos near the end.
The band thrives on subtlety: the percussion is at times barely more than a whisper, and you'll hear very few instruments used at the same time. This minimalistic approach results in some delicate jewels of songs, but at times I craved for more depth and harmony. On "Mas y Mas", dirty guitar contrasts with an angel's voice, but the climax feels incomplete without drums or percussion. Also, Silvana's bubblegum pop background sometimes shines through, like on the English-language "Sweet" or the bossa dub "Chiquita".

So Asunción is a great summer album, but nothing more. The album ends with "Las Olas", a relaxing soundscape of sea waves, guitar plucking and violins, not the only nice-but-not-great album filler. Still, I'm a fan of the sparkling and dynamic Pacifika you hear on "Me Caí", "Paloma" and "Oyeme".

Pacifika - Me Caí mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon
Pacifika - Oyeme mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon

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Alternative/Indie: La Casa Azul, El Guincho, Los Punsetes, Sr. Chinarro

Spain has a very vibrant indie rock scene, many artists quickly gain an underground audience by performing a lot and networking through MySpace. There's much talent to be discovered: check out only four examples below!


La Casa Azul is one of the more mainstream indie bands. Specialized in catchy discopop, the Barceloneans even tried their luck in the pan-European camp fest Eurovision. "La Revolución Sexual" can only be enjoyed with attributes like an afro wig, a white costume, huge sunglasses, and a smile from ear to ear. The delicate rock touch in the chorus, and the beautiful piano intermezzo, separates them from other, more clichéd feelgood disco acts (Miranda) . As you all know by now, the Spanish public decided La Casa Azul doesn't match up to übercamp like Ireland's Dustin The Turkey, so they decided to send the already infamous Rodolfo Chikilicuatre. For which I'm kinda glad - La Casa Azul deserves an audience that truly appreciates their sexy grooves, not a YouTube hype based on superficial traits.

La Casa Azul - La Revolución Sexual mp3 myspace buy@iTunes buy@Amazon


Talking of hypes, Barcelona indie producer El Guincho recently racked up a bunch of new fans in the US thanks to a raving Pitchfork review of his 2007 debut Alegranza!. Pablo Díaz-Reixa (his real name) makes rhytmical collages of repetitive tropical sounds, drowned in unintelligible chants and harmonies. Not really an easy accessible concept, right? This really is a hate-it-or-love-it type of music, and though I love the afrobeat-meets-sambadrum percussion, I'm having a real hard time with the repetitive character. But surely you'll have to decide for yourself! Listen to "Palmitos Park" below, it's the opening track of Alegranza!, and one of the more easily digestible songs.

El Guincho - Palmitos Park mp3 myspace buy@Amazon


Los Punsetes are from Madrid, and combine powerful feminine vocals with psychidelic guitars. The two-minute explosion "Fondo de Armario" first builds up the tension with tight drums borrowed from Bloc Party, and then derails completely in a wall of distortion while Adriana sings (or rather, yells) about the perversity of today's spoiled teens. This young band could benefit from some polishing up production-wise, but their raw and energetic self-titled debut LP promises a lot for the future - some are already comparing them to Spain's most legendary indie act, Los Planetas. Oh yeah, the entire album is freely downloadable on the Los Punsetes website!

Los Punsetes - Fondo de Armario mp3 myspace download album


Sevillan artist Sr. Chinarro (born Antonio Luque) is another long-time indie darling. His latest album Ronroneando was released with rave reviews in his home country. Sr Chinarro's brand of indie pop is more comparable with the American or British indie scene: delicate guitar arpeggio's with the occasional greasy riff, and a serene voice telling tales of desolation. "Timidos" could even be on the radio, if the Spanish ondas radiales weren't such a corrupt business. If you're into country-infused poprock, be sure to check out the rest of the album too.

Sr. Chinarro - Timidos mp3 myspace buy@Amazon

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Pop/Rock: Le*Pop

You'll agree with me that televised singing contests rarely result in the discovery of exceptional talent. I even tend to think the Star Academy's, Idols and Eurovisions of this world are the last twitches of a marketing machine doomed to go down with the rise of the internet. MTV Latin America (a channel where you can watch music videos sometimes - in contrary to European MTV) had a similar contest, but more internet-oriented: on LaZona.com bands could post a profile with mp3s, and votes from registered users decided who deserved a contract. And behold: the victory didn't go to 'that cute boy with his romantic reggaeton' or 'that hot chick with the fake rock attitude' - an unknown indie-pop band from Costa Rica called Le*Pop won the contest on pure quality. In any case, a band that cites Fisherspooner, CSS, Hot Chip and Gustavo Cerati as their influences can't do anything wrong in my eyes!

Debut single "No Tengo Calma" is infectious and energetic. Lead singer Stella Peralta combines a poppy voice with rock maturity. Indie electro-rock from the top shelf. Yes, there was obviously a big production team behind this (their MySpace and website are quite too hip for a debuting band as well) but you can't deny the quality of the song, which is sparked with the honesty and enthousiasm of a starting band. I even like the crisp-clean mix, it kinda fits with their overall sound.

Other songs on their album Bendita Televisor put forward a more commercial electro-pop sound, still a clarity and purity makes them stand out among similar bands (Miranda, Belanova). I predict them a great future in Latin American charts, and lets hope their songs keep the same vibe!

Le*Pop - No Tengo Calma mp3 buy@iTunes

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