Turning Torso - Walker

Walker, Turning Torso

Independiente, Mexico

Rating: 70

by Andrew Casillas

If I may judge a book by its over for a brief moment: Upon going to Turning Torso’s official downloads page, you’ll notice that you can download his releases in virtually any format that you could desire outside of 8-track, which is admittedly quite awesome. On the other hand, when perusing the official description of the album, the very first tag listed is “Dreamwave.” Uhhhh, yeah.



Luckily, Walker, the Mexican artist’s debut LP, actually shows enough creativity to justify these fanciful portmanteaus. For the most part, the record floats by like a duck on water, with chillwave signifiers and programming forming a consistent foundation from track-to-track. Like most chillwave tropes, these tend to meander into pointlessness if extended for long periods. However, Turning Torso wisely keeps his tracks short and distinctive, making a record which lasts under a half an hour feel like its much shorter. There are certainly a handful of highlights sprinkled on this donut: the lean hooks on “True Words” and the title track could certainly pass for In Rainbows b-sides (and that’s a good thing), while “Bebé” and “Almendra” break through their lo-fi foundations into something spry and unassuming.



If there’s a problem with Walker, it’s that there are probably too many pastiches scattered throughout the record. Just by reading the tracklist alone, you can tell exactly what “Jimi,” “Milees,” “Bossa Nube,” and “80’s Dream” sound like, and you would be precisely right. There’s nothing wrong with going knee-deep into genre exercises per se, but it would have been nice for these songs to have been fleshed out a bit more. Regardless, this is a promising little record, one with way more surprises than would be expected from something called “Dreamwave.” And hey, there are plenty of worse ways to spend half an hour’s time…especially if it airs Monday nights on CBS.

Download Full Album

MySpace

A Mexican Take Away Show

La Blogotheque shot a handful of episodes for their ‘A Take Away Show’ series in Mexico last year, needless to say La Blogotheque has rarely been as colorful. The French collective had unveiled individual songs from some of the bands; most notably that great take of “Light of Day” by The Plastics Revolution, joined by a Mariachi at Xochimilco. Apparently, they’ve now released all the episodes (except for the highly rumored Café Tacvba, which might be just that, a rumor). Whoever curated the series lineup forgot about Mexico’s most exciting bands (Maria y Jose, Bam Bam, Quiero Club) but overall, the bands pulled out some amazing performances. Here are our favorites.

Odisea Covers Juan Gabriel's "Siempre En Mi Mente"

The amount of downloads Juventud Bruta is getting is simply overwhelming. We were a bit skeptical to continue to make compilations after the success of Nosotros Los Rockers (seemed like a good place to stop), but we’re happy about the growing positive reaction. With a total of 26 tracks (most of them very short cuts), spotting the crowd-favorite track is quite difficult, but ironically, our stats (+ social networks) show Odisea’s cover of Juan Gabriel’s “Siempre en Mi Mente” as the zeitgeist of this ‘Uncouth Youth.’

After an all-covers compilation, we weren’t looking to include any covers on the compilation, but when Alex Anwandter told us he wanted to include a ‘JuanGa’ cover he had been working on, we were immediately on board. Juan Gabriel, who this year is returning to ‘Boleros’ (after 30 years outside the genre), is one of pop music’s greatest visionaries. “Siempre En Mi Mente” is a classic, a hard to-the-bone love song, a landmark of seduction in the Latin American songwriting field. Odisea’s version is respectful and well possessed.

Throughout the song, we get to experience little flirts of Odisea’s magic, revealing the pain of eternal love through both, sound and silence. The emotional strings in which Anwandter is able to frame the song is a reflection on his abilities to embrace the concept of authorship, and the power of lyrics themselves. Our uncouth, unwashed, and unsettled youth finds the plug-in (and the heart) to the collective social memory; when that whisper ("no encuentro nada") comes up, it's hard not to feel mobilized in some way or another.

Fonogramáticos Volumen 11: Juventud Bruta

Fonogramáticos Vol.11

Juventud Bruta

A compilation by Club Fonograma

DOWNLOAD!

Genre: Himnos Nacionales

Cover Picture by: Daniela Galindo

Design by Carlos Reyes

01. Amor Elefante – “Nuevas Bienvenidas” (Argentina. Juvenil Empresa del Color)

02. Algodón Egipcio – “La Transformación” (Venezuela. Lefse Records)

03. Los Labios – “Calles Vacías” (Argentina. Unreleased)

04. Davila 666 – “Esa Nena Nunca Regreso” (Puerto Rico. Vice Records)

05. Odisea – “Siempre En Mi Mente” (Juan Gabriel Cover) (Chile. Unreleased)

06. Los Migues – “A Vos No Te Importa Nadie” (Argentina. Fuego Amigo Discos)

07. FRANC3S – “Devuélveme Los Estómagos Que Te Regale” (Spain. Los Enanos Gigantes)

08. Mateo de la Luna en Compañía Terrestrial – “Las Chicas de la Plaza” (Argentina. Unreleased)

09. Jessy Bulbo – “Jaslo Casvie 1” (México. Independiente)

10. El Medio – “En El Patio” (Puerto Rico. Simplemente Records)

11. She’s a Tease – “Calabozos y Princesas” (México. Nacional Records)

12. Los Claveles – “Nacional 42” (Spain. Grabaciones Grabofónicas)

13. Kali Mutsa – “Tunupa!” (Chile. Unreleased)

14. El Columpio Asesino – “Toro” (Spain. Mushroom Pillow)

15. Telepedro y Maqueta – “Hada Nada En La Nada” (México. Independiente)

16. Los Ginkas – “El Gran Salto” (Spain. Spicnic Records)

17. Collateral Soundtrack feat. Apache O’ – “Me Enamoro Cuando…” (México. Unreleased)

18. Odio Paris – “Cuando Nadie Pone Un Disco” (Spain. El Genio Equivocado)

19. Nubes En Mi Casa – “La Ventana” (Argentina. Independiente)

20. Fother Muckers – “Lobo Mayor” (Chile. Independiente)

21. hypnomango. – “El Mundo No Es Real” (México. Nene Records)

22. Franny Glass – “Ey Canción” (Uruguay. Contrapedal)

23. Valentín y Los Volcanes – “Piedras Al Lago” (Argentina. Independiente)

24. Pipe Llorens feat. Efe Loco & Chelo – “Sácame de Aquí” (Sayulita) (México. Delhotel Records)

25. Chico Unicornio – “Redención en Bahía” (Perú. Off-On Entertainment)

26. Juan Cirerol - "Toque y Rol" (México. Vale Verga Discos)

Featured: Andrea Roca - "Buenos Salvajes"

Featured: Andrea Roca - "Buenos Salvajes"

Michita Rex



When I downloaded Andrea Roca’s Arar EP, the genre tag that came up in my iTunes was “pop gore de la periferia.” Now, I normally trust anything endorsed by Michita Rex, but that tag made me wonder what I was getting myself into. I was bracing myself for some rattling chains, clicking heels, branches scratching on window glass-type experimental obscurity. I’ll admit I was a little scared, but mostly I was really intrigued.



The genre tag was misleading, though. Instead of the conceptual and difficult to digest upon first listen music that I expected, what I got was four gorgeous ambient songs. “Buenos Salvajes” is beautiful track that starts off serenely with bird chirps, like an early morning at Walden Pond. And that’s really what the song feels like, like waking with the birds at dawn and breathing in the fresh air and just allowing yourself to be a part of it all. Roca’s voice is full and enveloping, while still being soft and tranquil and in perfect harmony with the minimal instrumentation. Even the brief entrance of the drum machine near the end, though it should be jarring and feel out of place, integrates seamlessly into the song’s storyline.

♫♫♫ "Buenos Salvajes"

MySpace

Coachella 2011 Lineup

After an all-star lineup last year, Coachella has now announced the official band list that makes up 2011’s lineup. The three-day fest celebrated on April 15-17 is leaded by Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West and The Strokes. It’s now a regular thing to include Latin acts, we can always expect a few, and this year isn’t the exception. The big name among the Latin bands is Caifanes, the legendary Mexican band had been rumored for a while, it’s now official (they will also perform at this year’s Vive Latino). Colombia’s Bomba Estereo & DJ Erick Morillo, LA's Ozomatli, PuertoRican-American Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Chile’s Los Bunkers, Brazil’s Cansei De Ser Sexy and Spain’s Delorean are the other bands listed from our region. Congratulations.

MP3: Nuevacosta - "Nada Un Rato"

Nuevacosta might be a completely new name in the Chilean scene, but its comprising members have been around much longer than it appears. Gian Paolo Gritti (drums), Daniel Bande (keys) & Angelo Santa Cruz (base & vocals) used to be part of TV Gamma, whose debut self-titled album was among our favorites of 2010. Well, the guys have said farewell to TV Gamma, and recruited new member Karin Gildemeister on their new adventure: Nuevacosta. “Nada Un Rato” carries the aesthetics and overall mechanism of their last band, but they seem to have stripped down a few lines of their electro hyperbole. Beyond the accent, we can start to see a number of new bands highly inspired by individuals from their own generation, and that’s exciting. We're having technical difficulties uploading MP3s, but meanwhile, click on the arrow of the player, to download the track.

NPR AltLatino

This is a quick special note to let you know I (Carlos Reyes) will be collaborating with NPR's AltLatino Blog a couple times a week. This is beyond exciting; having the opportunity to share the music we like with NPR's audience is a lovely thought. I have collaborated on several publications in the past, but never as exciting as this one. My first post was published today, and it's dedicated to a song about crickets, by Argentinean duo Las Liebres. This is a song that makes me cry, and therefore, you should click HERE to listen to it. While you're there, make sure to bookmark the blog, and listen to all the great shows on their archive.

Stream: Jennifer Lopez (feat. Pitbull) - "On the Floor"

I like Jennifer Lopez better when I don’t hear from her. When she got married and had babies and decided to stay out of the public eye, we were cool. Then she got this American Idol gig and now there’s word that her album Love, which everyone had presumed dead, may actually see the light of day. There are so many reasons why this is a terrible idea that I would need to write an essay in the style of Andrew Casillas to get to them all. But I’ll spare you and just hope that Ms. Lopez has one diva fit too many at Idol and gets the boot so that Love is shelved indefinitely because this leak from the album is reason enough for her to retire from the music game for good.

“On the Floor” is a sad, sad disaster of a song, if you can even call it that. With its Europop leanings and lazy Pitbull guest spot, the song reeks of desperation of the kind that bald old men in Ed Hardy t-shirts exude at da club. So, maybe it will be a hit at Karma? Except not even a Jersey Shore crowd drunk out of their minds would get down to this. And for someone who seems to think she’s poised for a comeback, J.Lo isn’t even trying to be current, or even five years ago. The already tired la la la chorus is based on “Lambada.” Kaoma’s “Lambada,” y’all! At one point she even says “raise the roof,” like maybe she is yearning for a time when she was actually relevant.

Video: Adanowsky - "Un Sol Con Corazón"

Adanowsky takes on the roles of actor, writer, and director in “Un Sol Con Corazón”, easily, the best music video in his career. Shot across some very vivid Mexican cities, he takes the character of ‘Amador’ straight to the heart. This is the third single out of his latest album Amador. The initial black & white sequence shows this heartthrob approaching a beautiful woman; he first excuses himself, and later asks if she could immortalize that encounter with a kiss. What follows is a sort of Forrest Gump odyssey, except everything’s bright here and he doesn’t loose the boots for a second. Following the Run Forrest Run! Sequence, he foreshadows a future without this woman, and although full of beautiful landscapes, he would be eternally lost. Chasing love sometimes does feel like aging, Adanowsky envisions such feeling with a flourishing red rose.

Video: Linda Mirada - "José"

About two years ago, Linda Mirada had everyone dancing to her hit “San Valentin”, a song that profiled her as one of Spain’s new pop sensations. That track’s popularity and unforgiving catchiness also became an evil shadow on the rest of the album (China Es Otra Cultura). “José” has been rescued by this very cool video featuring 80s-Television aesthetics and some very well-behaved kids. I think we all have a hyperactive Jose in our lives; this song does a good job describing him. Linda Mirada signed to Discoteca Oceano last year, the house that launched people like El Guincho, Joe Crepusculo and Los Massieras to international success. According to PlayGround, the label will release a remixes EP next month, which will include a remix by Ruby Sun’s Ryan McPhun.

Stream: Nacho Vegas - "La Gran Broma Final"

The always well-suited and somber Nacho Vegas has revealed several tracks from his forthcoming record La Zona Sucia. Despite being referred as one of this generation’s most prolific songwriters, he is still a divisive character. Many argue he’s too calm and monotonous; those are probably the same people that found Sofia Coppola’s dazzling Somewhere boring. We like him so much we forgive him for making an album with Bunbury. The songs unveiled were premiered recently on a Spanish radio show, and you can listen to the radio extracts here.

He may look like a reclusive, dramatic, and alienating dude, but when listening to a great song like “La Gran Broma Final”, you almost want to join him for a smoke. His inexpressiveness is the skeleton of his expressions, and the lyrics are the subjects of his emotions. Here he sings about love demolishment, the odyssey of fame, and a nation’s thirst for tabloids. Nacho Vegas is living the freedom offered by the mellowness and wisdom of his lyrics, yet he always finds a way to reinvent his composition. La Zona Sucia (his fifth solo studio album) will be out next month, on Valentine’s day.

You can now listen to the song on its proper CD-quality via Rolling Stone (Spain).

Video: Klaus & Kinski - "El Rey del Mambo y La Reina de Saba"

Jenesaispop presented Klaus & Kinski’s new video “El Rey del Mambo y la Reina de Saba”, an animated misfit by Nacho Rodriguez, Gina Thorstensen & Emma Kidd. On our album review, we described the song as “a nostalgic pasodoble nod to the past.” This is the third single out of their fantastic sophomore LP Tierra, Tragalos, one of last year’s most critically acclaimed Spanish records. Animals, creatures, beasts, and objects manifest themselves to the flairs of passionate flutes full of lament and redemption. The duo is becoming one of those bands we can always count on to deliver great videos across many mediums; their aesthetics are as eclectic as their multi-dimensional albums.

Stream: Las Robertas - "Ojos Con Dientes"

Las Robertas
"Ojos Con Dientes"
Gran Derby

Spain’s Reina Republicana and Costa Rica’s Las Robertas are sharing 7’’ split released on Madrid’s new indie label Gran Derby. Esta Pasando! just premiered both tracks, and as expected, the two sides are filled with great ladies lo-fi. We’re all very familiar with Las Robertas by now, and pretty much hoped for them to sing in Spanish (at least once in a while), well, the girls have finally done it in “Ojos Con Dientes.” The song is gripping as any of their songs on their debut Cry Out Loud, but they’ve extended wavelength to the actual melody. While it may not be their catchiest track yet, it’s filled with warmth, and they’ve never been as comfortable lyric-wise. As their SXSW showcase approaches, this is a song that could hold on great momentum for Central America’s cutest girls. Stream the also great "La Reina" by Reina Republicana here.

Featured: Pipe Llorens feat. Elis Paprika - "Ven a mi casa a ver Donnie Darko"

Featured: Pipe Llorens feat. Elis Paprika - "Ven a mi casa a ver Donnie Darko"

Delhotel Records

Pipe Llorens, the man behind “Dame Un Besito” and “No Quiero Ejercicios de Respiracion”, and one of our Bands to Watch 2011 will be releasing an LP later this year (on Delhotel Records); this time, with many people watching. As a funny fact, he is a former contestant of Telemundo's 12 Corazones, not that it matters, it just shows style. He seems to have taken a few muscle relaxants in his new single “Ven a mi Casa a ver Donnie Darko.” Much of Pipe’s themes and qualities circle around existentialist notions, and this very smooth ride recalls some of his earlier work as a sort of psychedelic balladist.

He strips off his Hip Hop sensibilities (and techno-loving tricks), and just like he showed in his cover of Piyama Party’s “Nosotros Los Rockers”, he proves to be an artist able to deliver songs on his own terms. Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko is the excuse for a date, and the inspiration for a beautiful song. If the film is a generation’s surrealist dispatch, this song documents the dream and the movie’s metaphysics. While listening to this simple, yet deeply emotional song, it’s hard not feel inside a wacky Sundance movie, or the mentioned cult-favorite film. Pipe Llorens recruited a friend in the song; the much more recognized Elis Paprika, one of Mexico’s most recognized pop-rock stars. “Ojala fuera un gran hombre como Vincent Gallo.”

♫♫♫ "Ven a mi casa a ver Donnie Darko"

MySpace

MP3: Lê Almeida - “Eles estão na minha rua”

Lê Almeida
“Eles estão na minha rua”
Weepop Records
Lê Almeida is one of the coolest Brazilian dudes we’ve come across; he lives the lo-fi style life like very few know how to, starting with the fact he’s the founder/head of Brazil's youth-rushed netlabel Transfusão Noise Records. After dedicating time to his side projects, and a handful of EPs under his arm, his debut LP Mono Maçã has finally seen the commercial light. “Eles estão na minha rua” is an extract from the record, a track that finds Almeida on its most structured moment yet. Beyond the noise-revivalist sound, he definitely shares the lo-fi aesthetic and the urgency to tell stories in very short timings. This song breaks most of those principles. Like some of his fellow Latin American lo-fiers (Las Robertas, Babe Florida, Hypnomango), there are tropical flairs embedded with the sound, so often confused as psychedelic. Mono Maçã is out now on London’s Weepop Records.

♫♫♫ “Eles estão na minha rua”
MySpace

Video: Michael Mike - "Lo Que A Vos El Amor"

The guys from Michael Mike picked a windy day to shoot their new clip “Lo Que a Vos El Amor” (directed by Estudio Soda), the best song off their album Nena o Neno. If you’ve been looking for a song that will make you want to try everything on your wardrobe (like those great Fangoria songs used to), this could be it. The video introduces a series of peculiar characters, starting with an intimidating woman wearing a stunning red dress. She founds herself in good company right quick by the most random people. A much younger guy keeps an eye on her from a distance, she flirts with him all along The magnetizing lady has so much appeal you would confuse this apartment complex with a mental institute.

Club Fonograma's Bands to Watch 2011

20. Alex Anwandter + Gepe

The news of an Anwandter-Gepe supergroup have been speculated for so long it was starting to look like a big joke. We’ve asked them directly and they are in fact, on their way to finishing their first album together. Anwandter’s eccentrics and Gepe’s responsiveness could add up to something truly majestic. In theory, it should be #1, but since we have yet to hear a finished track from the duo, it's only fair to keep it at the bottom of the list, for now.

19. Lost Mapaches

Independiente.

"YYY" (Pepepe Remix) ♫♫♫

Guadalajara’s Los Mapaches is the kind of new band that gives the wrong impression on their MySpace Bio description; they claim to be shamans from another planet who have fallen in love with planet Earth. Once you get over that, you’ll find a far less-stoned set of songs that are the backbone of a band with international potential. And actually, they're far more than your average Hypem-friendly pop act, there's deep content in these songs and they're also, very easy to dance to.

18. CL Sosa

Independiente. "Come and Go"

Carlos Sosa aka CL Sosa is a New Jersey-based rapper who is starting to get major love from our circle of Hip Hop aficionados. Anyone who can pull off a line like "that's how the cookie crumbles" and still keep our attention deserves not only our consideration, but also some kind of award. Sosa's soothing vocal stylings melt beautifully with the rigid beats, in the best of Lupe Fiasco, DJ Raff, and the new line of widescreen Hip Hop.

17. Kali Mutsa

Independiente.

"San Cipriano" ♫♫♫

Chilean Telenovela actress Celine Reymond seems to have found the perfect character in Kali Mutsa, the gipsy and ritualistic moniker that promises to be one of Chile's surprises of 2011. With references that go from MIA to Gang Gang Dance, and hot jams like "Jauja" and "San Cipriano", this could easily be considered the safe bet on the list. We have a thing for artists that can jump from one medium to the other, the extremely sexy Kali Mutsa is one of them.

16. Campo

Independiente. "1987"

Uruguayan visionary producer Juan Campodonico (from Bajafondo) has been working on his most precious baby for years. Campo, his most personal band yet, will release its debut this year. As shown in “1987” (track not on the album), Campo brings subtle tropical flairs to electronic music. Without being too straightforward or overly complicated with their resources, the band finds music texture in its most open principles.

15. Las Señoras

Independiente.

"Digitacion Alternativa" ♫♫♫

Madrid's all-girl punk quintet had barely any buzz in their home country last year, but they're winning fans all over the world quickly. Up to this date, they're still not taking advantage of the social networks, perhaps their way to show one of punk music's most notorious assets, the embrace of the anti-establishment. By now you would assume every single all-girl band would fall into the lo-fi trend, but these girls are determined bring up the hard-edge in punk music.

14. Mickey Mickey Rourke

Independiente. "Glo"

LA's Miller Rodriguez makes more music than we could actually write about, but whenever we catch up, we always hold on to a handful of tracks that go from weird, to spellbinding. His psychotic pop is not the easiest to consume, and it's no crowd-pleaser, but the resonance and mysterious aesthetics are universally appealing. Rodriguez will probably release several albums during the course of the year, we might not get to all of them, but what else would you expect from today's satanic youth?

13. Narwhal

Independiente. "Galapagos"

Considering El Guincho and Delorean hail from the beautiful landscape of Barcelona, blogs across the world are always looking for the city’s next great band. We think Narwhal might be it. “Whirling Ceremony” showcases their quantum genes, while “Galapagos” is some kind of tropical odyssey. Music as fragile and revealing as the functionality of the eyelids, or as BM says “a sort of deep-sea solar system.”

12. Hypnomango

Nene Records/Miut Records. "El Mundo No Es Real" ♫♫♫

We started out our Hypnomango’s “El Mundo No Es Real” feature claiming it was our favorite new song, part as a joke since the year is only a few days old, but really, this song already has an assured spot on next year’s Best of the Year countdown. This Monterrey-based band has all the qualities of a revelation, and its debut EP is only a few weeks away, seems like another treasure of the Nene Records catalog.

11. Odio París

El Genio Equivocado. "Ahora Sabes" ♫♫♫

Odio París is Spain’s answer to The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, or something close to that. The band put out an impressive self-titled EP last year, a nice mix between noise pop and easy-listening love songs. Their highly progressive, almost naïve field of music is well restrained and well balanced. As the debut full-length approaches, they got all the attention they can possibly get.

10. Los Claveles

Independiente. "Nacional 42"

If we were willing to put our hands on fire for a new Spanish rock band this year, it would probably be for Los Claveles. Their half of the Split album they shared with Kana Kapila last year has been haunting us lately and we can't wait for a full-length album. The smoky rolls rise and fall among their short-length songs, so much you’ll start seeing ravens after a while. “Con el dinero en la mano me gustas mas.”

09. El Medio

Simplemente Records. "En El Patio"

Leonardo Balasques, better known as El Medio will be Puerto Rico’s true export this year. He is one of those one-man bands that are almost defined by the author’s great music taste, which he has shown plenty of. His cover of Los Punsetes’ “Tus Amigos” was by consensus, one of the best tracks in Nosotros Los Rockers, and his track “Que bueno que nadie piensa en mi” is the warmest song about loneliness and the human spirit you can possibly think of.

08. Mateo de la Luna en Compañia Terrestrial

Independiente. "La Energía de los Planetas"

One song by this Argentinean band makes us think of Arcade Fire, the next one more about Beach House, and the next one, just something entirely new. Profound melodies in the form of the true alternative rock essence. There’s no doubt Mateo de la Luna en Compañia Terrestrial will be one of 2011’s breakthrough bands, it now depends on how they choose to distribute their music.

o7. Pipe Llorens

Delhotel Records. "No quiero ejercicios de respiracion, quiero pastillas"

Not that new to a small sector of our audience, but the follow up to his hit “Dame Un Besito” should bring Pipe Llorens the deserving attention that has made him one of the most interesting personas in Mexican music. A weird melt of Kanye, Ariel Pink & Beck’s egos. Coahuila’s bad boy (as we call him), tells it straight, he is confronting and sort of a brave Hip Hop hero as well.

06. Los Migues

Independiente. "Cuantos Mutantes" ♫♫♫

This is the charming side project of Migue, someone we could describe as the Argentinean Guille Milkyway. If it sounds a bit too much like La Ola Que Queria Ser Chau, is because he is indeed, a member of the band and in a way, the key figure in the band’s awesome portrait-heavy aesthetics. He put out about 100 demos he’s recorded throughout his teen years, and the new stuff sounds equally refreshing.

05. Bam Bam

Arts & Crafts MX. "Preview"

When Mexico’s best new rock band meets with Mexico’s best rock producer, the conditions are in to anticipate a phenomenal record. Monterrey’s Bam Bam showed up on our Best of the Decade countdown with their mesmerizing EP, so they’re already a revelation to us. Martin Thulin (Los Fancy Free, Jessy Bulbo, Nos Llamamos) is helming the production, to be released by Arts & Crafts MX later this year. This 36-second preview is the start of something exciting.

04. Los Espíritus

Independiente. "Besito" ♫♫♫

If “Besito” and “Pacifico-Atlántico” didn’t do the trick for you, perhaps more songs will help. The superduo comprised by Antonio Jimenez (Maria y Jose) and Lido Pimienta promise to deliver more off-your-seat tunes this year. Tijuana and Barranquilla reunite via the clever minds of two individuals who are already making some of today’s most exciting music on their own.

03. Adrianigual

Independiente. "La Mistica Espiral" ♫♫♫

Because their song “La Mistica Espiral” is an anthem that has been stuck on our nervous system for years. Virtually unknown to almost everybody, the band’s first full-length is promising to say the least. The kids that sang about a generation being forgotten by mainstream media now find themselves under the production of Alex Anwandter (Odisea), exciting.

02. Fakuta

Michita Rex. "Las Partes" ♫♫♫

The kind of artist we get excited just by reading her name. We haven’t heard a single Fakuta song that doesn’t make our jaws drop, “Armar y Desarmar” was one of the most beautiful songs we’ve ever featured and her approaching debut could be this year’s Musica, Gramatica, Gimnasia (in terms of intercontinental success). The Chilean artist did her duties as the head of the Michita Rex netlabel last year, 2011 just seems like her time to shine.

01. Algodón Egipcio

Lefse Records. "El Ingenio Humano"

Venezuelan one-man act Algodón Egipcio made all the right moves last year to salivate us all for his forthcoming debut album La Lucha Constante (out on Lefse Records soon). In the past year he released spectacular covers of Piyama Party, Male Bonding and Of Montreal, remixed Las Robertas, Maria y Jose, and Teengirl Fantasy, but it's the original content we can’t stop listening to. Cheky’s pop skills put him in front of the game; he’s making larger-than-life dream songs, scientific adventures, and they’re danceable and intuitive, the album sure smells like a knockout.