Calle 13 - Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo

UPDATE: songs online.

Let's set some things straight first. Calle 13 doesn't make hiphop. And certaily no reggaeton either. It's kick ass music, and that's all that matters. Also, Rene Perez aka Residente is not a rapper. He's a poet. So before you go comparing the club potential of, let's say, Wisin y Yandel to the new Calle 13, understand that they're in a totally other league.

And to make that point very clear, the opening song on their new album Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo is one big diss to 'commercial' reggaeton and its exponents. But where tirarea between rappers is usually limited to who has the biggest number of cars, guns and women, "Que Lloren" is a hit under the belt. The whole commercial system around modern reggaeton is made ridiculous in the characteristical Residente style, mixing poison with humor.

Te cojio de pendejo una disquera [...]
Tu eres un producto enlatado
Encima de un anaquel, antes cantabas rap
Y ahora eres pop como Luis Miguel [...]
Tu te vendiste mas barato que una prostituta en la autopista
Esto es la diferencia entre un negociante y un artista

The rapping might be too spoken word to keep the rhymes flowing, but it kinda matches the anger that's in the song. Still the chorus is quite catchy, and musically the best description I can find is 'norteño hiphop' - those horns!

So, no reggaeton ballads. But apparently there is room for love and romance on Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo. The first single "No Hay Nadie Como Tu", with alternative icons Café Tacuba, is nothing but a rock ballad a lo latino. The song needs some time to grow on you, but it's a successful collaboration between two unconventional bands. The music reflects that, it's a bizarre mix of rock, rap and traditional instruments (didgeridoo, accordeon) driven by Luis Ledezma's drums. And again, the horns play a big role in setting the mood. A future classic. More love on "Electro Movimiento", graced with English vocals by an unknown talent. Visitante goes haywire with cheap synths, totally 80s electro. Over the top, as it should be, and the track doesn't feel out of place at all. "Todo el mundo con el paso del robot!"

Another theme is craziness. Figuratively, as on "Fiesta De Locos" (according to Residente inspired by an Emir Kusturica concert), or literally on "Jhon El Esquizofrenico". The latter shows the lyrical capacity of Residente, telling the tale of a 13-year old boy that collects corpses. Visitante creates a mystifying mood with strange fairytale music - think Edward Scissorhands. It's also reflected in the intro and outro, where a demon named Residente takes over the body of Rene Perez.

"La Perla" is an ode to the beauty of the roughest neighborhood in Puerto Rico. The song starts with subtle afro-latin percussion, and builds to a beautiful chorus with Rubén Blades and La Chilinga singing "La noche me sirve de sabana". Ever heard Rubén rapping? Here's your chance. Another collab worth mentioning is "Esto Con Eso", with superstar Juanes singing the chorus. It's catchy bass and funky guitar will get your caderas moving without a doubt. Though it seems a little strange dissing commercialism on the first track, and then inviting Juanes to sing.

In general, Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo has both Residente and Visitante doing more what they want. The rapping is more poetry than enything else, sometimes like spoken word. The lack of flow isn't because his lyrics don't allow it (on the contrary, they rhyme brilliantly), it's his voice that's a bit too monotonous. But once you get over that, pay attention to the inventiveness of the music. Visitante made a musical work of art, with delicate tension building on every song and an incredible attention to detail. The emotion of the song is defined by the trumpets, who come in all forms and tones: melancholic ("No Hay Nadie Como Tu"), jazzy ("Ven Y Criticame"), salsa ("La Perla"), pompous ("Que Lloren"), even army-style ("Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo"). Which makes this the first latin urban album that feels as a whole, instead of a bunch of songs thrown together. Give it some time, and Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo will become a new best friend.

Calle 13 & Café Tacuba - No Hay Nadie Como Tu mp3
Calle 13 ft. Rubén Blades & La Chilinga - La Perla mp3
Album: Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo (Sony)
buy@iTunes buy@Amazon myspace

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Hip Hop: ChocQuibTown - Somos Pacifico

I first heard of ChocQuibTown through Masala - always first concerning extraordinary worldly beats. The video for "San Antonio" (below) was a great introduction to the habitat of this Colombian hiphop outfit, showing multiracial fun in the streets of San Antonio, a neighborhood in the city of Cali. Contrasting with the very low budget video is the crystal clear sound of the band, with lead singer Gloria 'Goyo' Perea's sultry voice as the cherry on the cake.

ChocQuibTown's debut album Somos Pacifico was produced by the innovative duo Ivan Benavidez (Carlos Vives) and Richard Blair (Sidestepper) - and it has become a jewel. It's latin hiphop exactly how I like it, incorporating the funky sound of the Colombian pacific to create a pure and refreshing sound. The concept is similar to what Orishas does with Cuban folklore or what Andy Palacio did for Garifuna culture: an ode to their home and roots made for a global audience.

The album is very diverse in rhythms, giranting between urban beats (soft dancehall in "No Le Copio"), latin tropicalia (salsa in "Pescao Envenenao", rumba in "Somos Pacifico") and Afro-Colombian traditionals even I never heard of (bambazú, anybody?). The comparison with Tego Calderón's The Underdog is never far away, though ChocQuibTown stays on the less-commercial side of latin urban music, using subtle hiphop grooves rather than deafening reggaeton beats. Most of all ChocQuibTown is funky, sometimes even jazzy (Goyo often made me think of Cuban jazz poet Telmary) like on "Busco Personas".

Top tracks are the aforementioned "San Antionio" and "Pescao Envenenao" featuring Colombia's hottest salsa crew, La 33. The latter is also a great example of the activism and social awareness in Choc Quib Town's lyrics, warning their people about politicans spreading hate and fear. Title track "Somos Pacifico" is heavy on samples and scratching but like no other breathes the exotic atmosphere that characterizes the album.

Somos Pacífico
Estamos unidos
Se une la región
La pinta, la raza
y el don del sabor

Some less convincing tracks are inevitably present on every hiphop album (here it's "Alguien Como Tu" and "Lo Nuevo") but Somos Pacifico is definitely worth your attention if you're up for a pleasant discovery!

ChocQuibTown - Somos Pacifico mp3
ChocQuibTown ft. La 33 - Pescao Envenenao mp3
Album: Somos Pacifico (Rue Bleue/Polan)
buy@iTunes buy@Amazon myspace



San Antonio

Somos Pacifico

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Hip Hop: Guanaco

A very unsuitable post for the time of year, I know - for christmas tunes I gladly forward you to these old Puerto Rican carols over at Mudd Up :)

Guanaco is not only a kind of llama, but also a talented young MC from Ecuador. With his Pesos Pesados Soundsystem he's conquering MTV with the catchy single "Lento", a reggae-influenced hiphop song. Although a little more musical variety wouldn't harm the track, it still stands out because of Guanaco's rough voice. He raps about the easy life and the emptyness of today's materialistic society - an evil even the slums of Ecuador doesn't seem to escape. Be sure to watch the rough (but clever) video below!

Guanaco - Lento mp3

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Reggaeton/Hip Hop: Tego Calderon - El Abayarde Contra-Ataca

Almost exactly one year ago, we praised Tego Calderón's previous album as the only good reggaeton album recorded up until then..

The Underdog is the new sound of the latin urban genre, a sound that blends Afro-Carribean influences with some of the hottest beats around. It's hip hop and reggaeton with soul and fuego.

It took Tego a label change, a big budget, and almost two and a half years to complete the album. So I was slightly surprised when I heard he would release his next CD merely one year later. Was his inspiration flowing so freely that he just didn't need the time? Or did the bosses over at Atlantic Records push Tego to quickly record another album, after The Underdog was met with disappointing sales, despite praising critics?

Fact is, the simultaneous release of El Abayarde Contra-Ataca and Tego's first feature film Illegal Tender smells like sly marketing. A quick quote about the movie, where Tego plays the bad guy (a Puerto Rican gangster):

A laughable low-budget mess about third-rate drug thugs, put together with the sheen and polish of a fourth-grade Christmas pageant. (E! Online)

Luckily, El Abayarde Contra-Ataca has become a better effort, though not exactly solid gold.

Both the title and the cover art are a clear reference to El Abayarde, the 2002 debut that launched Tego's career and internationalized reggaeton. And in many aspects, the music is also a return to those times, when Tego focused on underground reggaeton and gangsta-style hiphop. For example, "Lo Hecho Hecho Está" joins a hard core of Latin rappers (Voltio, Ñejo, Chyno Nyno) in a rough and very street anthem to Puerto Rican slums. "Los Mios" and "Quiereme Como Soy" carry inspirational rhymes with a positive message, like we're used to from Tego, but the hiphop finishing and the poor collaboration of Pirulo weaken the songs. If you're into pure rap, you probably won't bother, but I'm not very fond of these tracks.

Tego has always been one of the most innovative rappers, but on El Abayarde Contra-Ataca all experiments seem to fail pitifully. He branches out into r&b ("Quitarte 'To" featuring hype-of-the-moment Randy) and merengue ("No Era Por Ahí") without convincing. The latter might even be the most horrible song of 2007 - a mess of super fast merengue, pale raps and irritating noises. And the dark "Cual Es El Plan Y Eso" with Calle 13 and Yaviah could have been a spectacular combination, but the debilitating beat drowns the track in boredom.

So thank God (or rather, producer Luis Almonte) for reggaeton! "Tradicional A Lo Bravo" is a good choice for the first single, showing the fusion-style reggaeton we like. One minor point of criticism (valable for most tracks): vocal mixing could have been a lot better, there's too much echo and Tego sounds faint, while his voice is one of the most characterful in latin music.
"TTT Tego" is a catchy club banger worthy of his first big hit "Al Natural". The most exotic track is "Ni Fu Ni Fa", which joins funky breakbeats with Afro-Latin percussion and chanting children. And "El Que Lucha No Avanza" is top quality urban music: a positive attitude, original samples, and unstoppable lyrical flow.

Despite the obvious hasty finishing and the failures mentioned above, El Abayarde Contra-Ataca is a varied disc by the most talented latino rapper out there. Tego has an impressive voice, an incomparable flow, and a grand songwriting skill. Maybe the album is too much Abayarde and not enough Underdog? As Underdog, Tego surpassed the genre and created a whole new direction for himself. Let's hope he uses his talents to the fullest again for his next album.

Tego Calderón - El Que Lucha No Avanza mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon
Tego Calderón - Tradicional A Lo Bravo mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon

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Reggaeton/Hip Hop: Calle 13 - Residente o Visitante

Their self-titled debut launched them as one of the smartest and most innovative acts in reggaeton. Merely 14 months later, Calle 13 is back with Residente o Visitante, the Puertorican rappers' sophomore album. We told you already how eagerly anticipated the release was, and now we can safely say: it was worth it.

Rapper Residente (René Perez) has found his style in clever, satirical lyrics, and they're the first thing you'll notice on the album. He will make you laugh with his witty wordplay, and even if you don't understand Spanish you must feel the playfulness of his texts. DJ Visitante (Eduardo Cabra) still provides the most innovative beats in latin urban music, experimenting with sounds from all across Latin America ("Tango del Pecado", "La Cumbia de los Aburridos"). But on this album, Calle 13 sounds more mature - sometimes they'll even move you ("Llegale a mi Guarida", "Beso de Desayuno") or incite you to start thinking ("Pal Norte", "Algo Con-Sentido", "La Era de la Copiaera").

Residente o Visitante has an impressive guest list: Tego Calderón (our other favorite reggaetonero) joins in on "Sin Exagerar", clearly having the time of his life while Residente makes fun of hiphop-style bragging:

Tengo cuatrocientos carros, cuatrocientas motoras
Un caballo que vuela a cien milas por hora
Tengo comprada a todas las emisoras
Y pa' lavar el dinero, treinta lavadoras
Yo consigo lo que sea
Mujeres con dos, tres, cuatro, cinco tetas

On "Llegale a mi Guarida", the characterful voice of Vincentico (former lead singer of ska band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs) gives the song a serene feel, like an indigenous ritual dance. A greasy rock riff spices things up a little. And "Pal Norte" features the distinctly Cuban voices of Orishas. It's a socially conscious song on migration, a key theme on the album - the title, Residente o Visitante, not only refers to the two half-brothers' pseudonyms, but also to the status of latino immigrants in the USA).

Language is another key issue on the album: you'll find both poetical ballads and shocking profanities. The "Intro", for example, starts by saying "We promise you no bad words on this record", followed by an endless litany of Spanish swearing, performed by a church choir. Excuse me if I find this hilarious - kinda reminds me of what Molotov used to do.
On the other hand, in "Mala Suerte con el 13", misplaced profanity gives a rancid taste to what could have been an intimate hiphop song with a great guest rapera (La Mala Rodriguez).
Both the religious and the language themes come back in bomb single "Tango del Pecado", but you've already read all about that song here ;)

About halfway through the album, Calle 13 changes the pace for some more mature and serious songs: aforementioned "Llegale a mi Guarida" is calm and hypnotizing, and on "Beso de Desayuno" Residente proves he can write a beautiful ballad with imaginative lyrics. Visitante puts a wicked bossa nova/drum 'n bass sample under it - and it magically works.
More wicked samples, courtesy of Visitante and Oscar-winning producer Gustavo Santaolalla: "Algo Con-Sentido" is a 50's ballad disguised as hiphop, and "La Era De La Copiaera" sounds like a video game gone crazy. Both songs share the same subject: there's too much copying and fakery in latin urban music these days. When Residente -literally gone mad- starts shooting everybody in sight, "Con-Sentido" ends with "Don't worry, this is fake - just like most reggaetoneros. OK?".

The absurdity does get irritating sometimes: "Uiyi Guaye" has a horrible chorus (though beatwise this is still prime material) and "El Avión Se Cae" is a bad B-side, at the most. But as a whole Residente o Visitante is even more impressive as their debut: Calle 13 have matured. Visitante confirms as a key innovator in latin urban music, Residente proves his splendid lyrical skill and sharp sense of humor. You'll discover some real gems ("Tango del Pecado", "Sin Exagerar", "Pal Norte", "La Crema"), but really the album needs to be savored as a whole to appreciate all the irony and deeper meanings. I wish Calle 13 a great future, and a dozen more Latin Grammy's.

Calle 13 ft. Orishas - Pal Norte mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon
Calle 13 ft. Tego Calderon - Sin Exagerar mp3 buy@iTunes buy@Amazon

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Flamenco: Ojos de Brujo (+ contest!)

As you might remember from other posts, we like Ojos de Brujo! On February 20, their album Techarí will finally be released in the US. Let’s celebrate that with two more songs! Ojos de Brujo caught our attention with their sunny flamenco tunes, but also with their socially engaged lyrics: on Techarí, Ojos de Brujo express their worries about today’s society. “El Confort No Reconforta” is a fierce indictment against capitalism and consumerism, against a society where money is more important than human lives:

“Derechos humanos mueren día a día calladamente
Personas sin papeles no ven salida a su vida legalmente
Inmigrantes encerrados en las iglesias en huelga de hambre
"¿¿Dios no existe o por impago le han cortao el cable??"”

This song is typically Ojos de Brujo: an exciting blend of cante flamenco, hip hop beats, and rattling rhymes by percussionist Maxwell Wright. Very impressive! Another song with a message is “Piedras vs. Tanques”: aggressive guitars (that reminded me of Rodrigo y Gabriela) open this song full of rage, but stand aside for the beautiful rumbita burden (hand clapping, guitars, a beautiful voice…). It’s an authentic protest song with a hopeful message, inciting a popular revolution:

“Señores presidentes el pueblo no quiere batallar más
al frente mande a sus hijos si con armas quiere ganar
aquí piedras contra tanques no más cadenas ni un paso atrás.
Escucha este silencio
será tu pesadilla son las voces de mi gente echando el resto
sanando, revolucionan, luchando el presente...”

As you see, this is quality music. No beats or big pimpin’ here, but a unique mix of genres and meaningful lyrics.

And you can win this fabulous album right now: just drop a mail with your address at laondatropical {at} telenet {dot} be. There is however one limitation: you must have a mailing address in the USA this time. (Don't worry, there will be plenty of contests for the rest of the world in the future!).

Ojos de Brujo - Piedras vs Tanques mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon
Ojos de Brujo - El Confort No Reconforta mp3 buy@iTunes (Europe only) buy@Amazon

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Hip Hop: Telmary - A Diario

Following my desperate call for Cuban salsa and timba CDs, music producer and fellow blogger Mister Bryans sent me a couple of Cuban CDs all the way from Canada. That deserves a BIG thank you!

The first album I'll be reviewing is by a young Cuban rapster called Telmary. A Diario is her first solo album, but she's no newbie in latin music: she's part of Interactivo, an artists collective which has created a totally new Cuban pop sound, mixing up all kinds of traditional and modern genres. It's timba rap, tumbao hip hop, jazz poetry, calle powerpop, or whatever you wanna call it. Other members of Interactivo are Descemer Bueno, founder of famous mestizo fusion band Yerba Buena, and Roberto Carcassés, Cuba's hottest producer of the moment, and winner of 3 Premios Cubadisco in 2006.

The first thing you'll notice is Telmary's distinct voice: soulful, deep, sometimes fast and agressive, sometimes soft and soothing. Bonus track "Sola" shows how strong her voice can be: even without instruments, she manages to captivate. On downbeat love songs (like "Pa'Que Vuelva") she's pure poetry, sexy poetry that is.
She can be dead serious, praying to santería gods (opening track "Rezo"), but most of the album is very joyful and positive, even the ballads. Lyrically this album is on a totally other level than 'just rap'. Street experience, love, religion, life wisdom, tradition are all processed into poetical rhymes, brought with a positive attitude and tons of conviction.

The party gets started with "Fiesta", guest rapper Athanai does a great job on the explosive chorus. I guarantee you won't get it out of your head. On "Ves" (video), producer Carcassés layers exotic breakbeats and a cool bass riff to the super fast raps of Telmary and Kumar (Interactivo member, of course). Same recipe on "Sin Control".

A Cuban album wouldn't be complete without some timba: "Qu'Equivocao" has salsa-style backing vocals and piano tunes. "You're so wrong about life, my love", she sings: any man leaving this woman must be wrong indeed. "Marilú" is an old Los Van Van song, with fist-in-the-air lyrics and a lovely bolero intermezzo.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Ojos de Brujo again (remember their special blend of flamenco from previous posts) on "Sueño Brujo". Both strong female voices wonderfully combine on this dreamy track. (Ojos de Brujo is about to release their album Techarí in the US, we'll have a contest soon!)

The second half of the album shows Telmary's soulful, more personal side: "Espiritual Sin Egoïsmo", "Libre", "Pa'Que Vuelva".. I especially like "Espiritual Sin Egoïsmo": a jazzy trumpet makes place for a fast drum & bass climax, and Telmary delivers her always-positive message with conviction.

On a less positive note: the two English songs, "Mr. God" and "Rastafashion". Stick to Spanish, girl, you just don't sound natural rapping in English! And maybe some other songs could use more structure. But those minor faults don't bother: A Diario is one of the most exciting projects to come out of Cuba lately.

PS: Of course the album is hard to get outside of Cuba and Canada, but a lot of songs can be found online: on Telmarys MySpace, the record label website, and YouTube. Enjoy!

Telmary ft. Ojos de Brujo - Sueño Brujo mp3 buy@Amazon

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Rock: Molotov

Sad news from Mexico: Latin America's favorite mock-rock band Molotov is splitting. Officially the members couldn't agree anymore on the creative direction of the band, but there are rumors that Molotov owns their record label a lot of money, which could be another reason for the dissolution.

Ten years ago Molotov started playing cafés in Mexico City. Their combination of irony, provocation, criticism of government and contagious music quickly gained them fame and respect among the Mexican youth. Debut album ¿Donde Jugarán Las Niñas? (1997) caused massive controversy on its release, with the album cover deemed 'inappropriate' and the songs 'obscene' (with titles like "Chinga Tu Madre" and "Puto" (video) - translated as "Fuck Your Mother" and "Gay Prostitute"). The album title is also a parody on 'soft' Mexican rock legends Maná - they have an album called ¿Donde Jugarán Los Niños?.
Result: stores refused to sell the album, gay and lesbian right groups were protesting at concerts, and Molotov gained worldwide fame within weeks.

Afterwards Molotov released two more albums: Dance And Dense Denso (2003) including continent-wide hit "Frijolero" (one of the funniest songs I've ever heard, mocking the racist mentality of right-wing America - Grammy-winning video here); and Con Todo Respeto (2004), a tribute album with various covers. Musically they continue the Rage Against The Machine legacy of combining punk rock and rap into an explosive mixture. They also did the soundtrack for Y Tú Mamá También (actor Diego Luna called Molotov's separation "the most stupid decision of their life").

Clearly writing new material was not the primary focus, but keeping a tight tour schedule maintained their popularity, mainly in Mexico and the US. As it seems, that same tour schedule now caused frustration and fatigue among band members - add that to financial problems, and the separation is no surprise anymore.

It's not hard for me to select the best song out of their ten-year career. I've had loads of fun (back in Guatemala) with ska punk songs like the ones mentioned above, but both lyrically and musically "Gimme The Power" is just another level. Starightforward criticism of the Mexican government in aggressive raps, over a soft acoustic guitar and marimba chords, with an irresistible Spanglish chorus.
¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido! Adios Molotov...

(Source: La Opinión Digital)

Molotov - Gimme The Power mp3 video buy@iTunes buy@Amazon

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Christmas Giveaway! Los Amigos Invisibles, Pitbull, Calle 13

A Christmas present from La Onda Tropical: we have another CD giveaway contest for you! Just send me your name and mailing address (and the name of the CD you prefer) at laondatropical [at] telenet [dot] be. Anybody who mails between now and January 2nd, is entered in the draw. Good luck!

Here are the prizes:

Los Amigos Invisibles - Superpop Venezuela
A dive into Venezuelan music history, that made it to Amazon's Top 10 Albums of 2006. Read our raving review here!

buy@iTunes - buy@CD Universe
Bonus: Los Amigos Invisibles - Dun Dun mp3


Pitbull - El Mariel
Not the politically conscious rap album we expected it to be, but still a party slammer with some potential hits. Read the review here.

buy@iTunes - buy@CD Universe
Bonus: Pitbull - Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera) mp3


Calle 13 - Calle 13
If you don't own the critically acclaimed and grammy-winning debut album of 'alternative' reggaeton duo Calle 13 yet, here's your chance. We reviewed it back in march, but even now it's still a fuego.

buy@iTunes - buy@CD Universe
Bonus: Calle 13 - Suave (Reggaeton) mp3

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Reggaeton: Tego Calderon - The Underdog

Tego Calderón is known and loved for his politically correct, 'alternative' reggaeton, often injected with traditional latin music elements. Though he kinda missed the big reggaeton hype, he is still regarded as one of the three strongholds of the genre (along with Daddy Yankee and Don Omar). The Underdog/El Subestimado is his major label debut, so you might expect a more mainstream gangsta sound instead of his typical fusion style. Luckily, that's not the case - Tego even dropped all of his bling bling after visiting a diamond mine in Sierra Leone. No diamonds, a seventies afro, sunglasses two sizes too big.. you wouldn't say this guy just made the only good reggaeton album ever recorded.

The Underdog is the new sound of the latin urban genre, a sound that blends Afro-Carribean influences with some of the hottest beats around. It's hip hop and reggaeton with soul and fuego. Production is near-perfect, everything sounds crystal-clear and basses dig deep. Tego proves himself as the master lyricist, pouring explosive raps on politics, racial issues and personal emotions.

Some examples of the innovating fusion that mark the album. Mardi Gras is what reggaeton would sound like in New Orleans, with a blues guitar backing Tego's raging raps. Llora, Llora is a salsatón duet with Venezolan master Oscar D'León, and (unlike previous salsa-reggaeton collaborations) it's a perfect symbiosis of latin rhythms. Llevatelo Todo is a sunny hip hop song influenced by traditional Puertorican bomba. Don Omar joins in on Chillin', where reggae organs and steel drums take you to a Kingston slum. And Los Maté features a sample of an old mariachi song, pitched up to a slightly irritating speed (too bad this song was chosen to be the first single - watch the video here).

Tego sees himself more as a hiphop artist, but I must disagree. The hiphop cuts on the album lack variety. His smooth flows are best accompanied by a heavy reggaeton beat. Cuando Baila Reggaeton (featuring Yandel) is a certain floorfiller, albeit lacking the specific Tego touch. When the beat kicks in on Extremidades it will make all your extremities randomly shake. Fuego!

The album boasts a few big suprises, mostly related to Tego's emotional side. Chango Blanco is a risky cover: a pure salsa song, talking about racial difficulties and black pride. A succesful experiment if you ask me. Bureo, Bureo is delightfully funky, a bit too short though. O Dios (Odios?) and A Mi Papa are both emotional songs, with Tego respectively rapping about the frustrations of shared custody, and his recently deceased father.

So unlike others, who call themselves King of Kings and release mediocre albums, Tego achieved -in all his modesty- the true mastership over latin urban music with this essential record. Hopefully The Underdog will do for Tego Calderón what A Lo Cubano did for Orishas - give him worldwide exposure and critical acclaim.

Our selection:
Tego Calderón ft. Oscar D'León - Llora, Llora mp3 buy@iTunes
Tego Calderón ft. Don Omar - Chillin' mp3 video lyrics buy@iTunes
Tego Calderón - Llévatelo Todo mp3 buy@iTunes

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¡Arriba los Latinos! - Argentina y Ecuador

We continue our series on the FIFA World Cup. Two Latin American countries fought themselves into the next round with heroic victories, Argentina and Ecuador.

I have a bit of trouble finding songs that are hot in Ecuador now, so here's a nice song from a couple of years ago. "Sueña" by Gerardo is a hiphop track, but even if you don't like rap you should listen to this. It's a very pure and melodic song. No beats, no samples: just an acoustic guitar, Gerardo, and appartenly a young priest doing the backing vocals. And it's got an encouraging message:

Cuando digan que no vales, no sigue no mas
no cambies tu rumbo y dale
no mires atras
que cuidandote yo estare ... sueña

Freely translated: never give up, keep on going and don't look back. The video is a nice portrait of the people of Ecuador. Wikipedia reports that Gerardo is a record executive now, well I hope he still keeps on writing songs like this!

Gustavo Cerati and Babasonicos are dominating the charts in Argentina (and my iPod as well, actually). But the young pop trio Airbag (yes, it's a stupid name) are getting some radio attention too, with their feelgood summer song "Amor de Verano". I have to admit I didn't like the song at first, it sounds a bit too produced (especially the tone change at the end). But the chorus is so contagious you will be singing "Siiiiiiii, solo eso fueee" all day long for the next three months. Be warned! :)

(Again thanks to Lien for the info on Ecuador!)

Gerardo - Sueña mp3 video lyrics buy@iTunes
Airbag - Amor de Verano mp3 lyrics

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Plastilina Mosh

Eccentric is the least you can say about Plastilina Mosh, a Mexican duo bringing an eclectic mashup of elektro, pop, rock and hiphop. They look like a crossing between Mexicali mafioso and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and write songs about monster trucks and human disco balls. Also check out their fabulous website, including pictures of famous people with 70's pilot sunglasses.

Matching a longtime Plastilina Mosh tradition, the song "Millionaire" is part Spanish and part English. Don't focus on the ridiculous English lyrics (Baby I'm a millionaire / Got power like Tony Blair) but instead notice the cool video game sounds, groovy bass part and the subtle keyboard near the end of the song. I guarantee you won't get the song out of your head after a few listens.

"Millionaire" is one of the few new songs on their greatest hits album Tasty. It's a very alternating selection of their three previous albums, be prepared for a surprising mix of rock, dance and disco pop.

Plastilina Mosh - Millionaire mp3 buy@iTunes

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Hiphop/Reggaeton: Calle 13

I've posted about Calle 13 earlier, but these guys deserve more attention. Because their self-titled debut album is one of the most original and renewing in the urban latin genre. Because Atrévete-te is such a good song I'm putting it back on the playlist. And because the whole Spanish-speaking world is talking about them.

Residente Calle 13 does the lyrics, Visitante does the beats, and both are quite good at it (though not all songs on the album are of equal quality). Humour, flow and -very important- content coïncide in Residente's lyrics. Humour, as in "Pi-Di-Di-Di" where he makes fun of P Diddy:

[...] ("Do you have some Coca-Cola?") No, pero tengo vino Perico...
Y rapidito ese tipo me salio malcriadito...
("Do you know who I am?") ¿Como? ¿Que te llamas Juan?
("Do you know who I am?") ¿Que si yo me llamo Juan?
("Yo querer Coca-Cola!") Pues, mira Juan [...]

Flow, as in "La Jirafa", where his words help define the complex drum rhythm. And content, as in Atrévete-te, the answer to all the complaining that reggaeton is dirty and ordinary:

Yo se que a ti te gusta el pop-rock latino
Pero es que el reggaeton se te mete por los intestinos
Por debajo de la falda como un submarino
Y te saca lo de indio taino [...]
[...] ¿Que importa si te gusta Green Day?
¿Que importa si te gusta Coldplay?

On the beat side, Visitante is clearly better at producing reggaeton than hiphop. The latter songs are not varied enough to grab attention, while the reggaeton tracks instantly make you move. The difference is best noted in "Suave", which exists in both versions.

Calle 13 are white, both come from middle class families, and they went to art school. But who cares? Their music is different, exactly what the reggaeton genre needed, to keep from repeating itself. I'm pretty sure their universal sound will soon conquer the USA, keep an eye out for them!

Calle 13 - Atrévete-te mp3 video buy@iTunes

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