Hispanic Heritage Month Playlist

In honor of  Hispanic Heritage Month, KCSB’s music department has put together a few of their favorite tracks from various hispanic artists to showcase more amazing music you can listen to all month. 

 

☆ EL’S RECOMMENDATIONS☆

“Nuevo Sol” by Mint Field

☆ Hailing from Mexico City, Mint Field is a dreamy band that reminds me of walking at night and being able to see everyone inside their own homes. Estrella del Sol’s vocals are haunting and misty, followed by light guitar, shadowy synths, and clear percussion. Mint Field just came out with a new single this month, which reflects a more electronic oriented background. Their stuff is moody enough for the upcoming fall season!

“Edecan” by Pijama Party

☆ Pijama Party is the work of Luis Angel Martínez, who has been making music since 2005 in his home. This song starts out strongly with an alien warping sound, like Pijama Party is transporting you to another planet that absolutely rocks. It has a youthful and almost boyish feel to it, highlighted by the cute and somewhat nostalgic feeling of the album cover. However, the lyrics discuss heavier topics like greed and getting away with crimes because of money.

“Igual Que Ayer” – Diles Que No Me Maten

☆ Another band from Mexico City, Diles Que No Me Maten is gritty and dark, as shown by their band name (“Tell Them Not to Kill Me”). “Igual Que Ayer” uses its guitar reverb and obscured vocals to make listeners feel disquieted and uncomfortable with the feeling of days blending together, trying desperately to make each day distinct. This track is absolutely hypnotizing and beautiful. 

“Caminito” – Taller Dejao

☆  Taller Dejao is a Chilean duo made up of drummer and singer Daniel Riveros and bassist Javier Cruz. This song is extremely fun and upbeat, and has a way of pulling you to your feet to get up and dance. They incorporate aspects of chichinero, a style of street performance in Chile, and cueca, a style of dancing in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, to their music, adding to the dance-able aspect of it. This track is great to pull you out of a slump or to keep you in a good mood! 

“Algo Contigo” – Nico Play

☆  Nico Play is the project of Nicolás Perea, who was born in Mexico City but now is based in Chicago. He writes songs in both English and in Spanish, reflecting his dual identities. This song is soft and sweet, with guitar and his voice as the only instruments. This track is just extremely soothing and feels very intimate, like he is singing a personal lullaby. One of my favorites to relax to after a long day– Nico Play succeeds in taking away all my worries.

“Vestida Para Morir” – Mora Y Los Metegoles

☆ Mora Y Los Metegoles is an Argentinian rock band. However, this track is strained and slow, with very minimal lyrics– mostly repeating the title, “dressed to die.” You can hear the sadness and aching behind the vocals, and the minimal instruments (acoustic guitar, double bass, and some electric guitar) add to the melancholic feeling. 

 

☆  SARAH’S RECS  ☆

“Me Voy Pa’l Pueblo” – Mapache

 

☆ This duo is from L.A. but pays homage to the Mexican culture that influenced them growing up in Echo Park. This track has sweet and tender guitar and vocals, it’s a beautiful take on traditional Mexican music. Mapache means “raccoon” in Spanish which feels fitting for SB and I listen to their music like crazy.

“Bilbao” – Chicano Batman

 

☆  This album “Cycles of Existential Rhyme” was the first record I had ever bought for myself, I bought it before I even got a record player. I fell in love with this album and how it mixes this contemporary psych rock L.A. sound with a Latin funk feeling and the guitar makes my brain melt (in a good way!). This is a short little instrumental track where the guitar really shines and the bass is funky as funk.  

“Si Me Faltaras Tu” – Thee Lakesiders

 

☆  Thee Lakesiders are a duo out of L.A. and are on Big Crown Records, one of my favorite newer labels. Their music has a distinct retro sound that I find entrancing and they only put out one 45 before disbanding (which is tragic) that has this track sung beautifully in Spanish. It’s a cover of a song by Venezuelan band Los Terricolas with a fresh Latin psych rock feel and has a catchy, dancy sound that gets stuck in your brain.

“Al oeste” – Juana Molina

 

☆  I’ve had this track on repeat for a long time, it has a unique sound and composition which has held me captive since it was released. Juana Molina is a singer/songwriter from Argentina and her music mixes folk, electronica, avant-garde and experimental pop in a way that is bewitching and timeless. This track is mysterious, haunting, and hard to describe (similar to its album cover) but is weirdly wonderful and pure genius. 

“La Rana” – Agustin Pereyra Lucena

 

☆  Bossa nova is possibly my favorite kind of music ever, if I was stuck on a desert island I would want this bossa nova track to dance my worries away to. Agustin Pereyra Lucena was an Argentinian composer who found fame in the Brazilian music scene for his incredible guitar mastery. This track has so much feeling it hijacks my body and causes me to involuntarily samba around, I can’t make it stop and wouldn’t want to anyways.

“Si Llorarás” – Thee Sinseers

 

☆  This is a romantic and sweet instrumental track that has a retro yet timeless feel and this time transcending sound is what Thee Sinseers does best. They are a new Chicano soul group from East L.A., fronted by singer and piano player Joey Quiniones, and they’ve had a chokehold on me as of late. Their vocal tracks are just chock-full with emotion and completely heart melting, but I’ve found myself quite drawn to this instrumental track for its simplicity and beauty. It’s just *chef’s kiss*