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. NarwhalIndependiente. "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.
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 ParísEl 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 ClavelesIndependiente. "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.”
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.
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 LlorensDelhotel 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.
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.
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. AdrianigualIndependiente. "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. FakutaMichita 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.
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.