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Alt.Latino: Chuwi steps into the spotlight - and more new music

October 28, 20260 comments♥ 0
00:00 From NPR music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayer. Let the chisembe begin. Felix, we're peace and tranquility. We have no chisemesme this week. Nothing. Unless there's something you haven't told me about yet.
00:19 Nope, nothing. I think everything, we're back to thinking about music. We're always thinking about music. I never stop thinking about music. That's true. Okay, so we have a series of new music shows coming up. Very excited because while we were doing, focusing on El Tini and the interviews and all that.
00:36 There's been a pile up of CDs, as Felix would say. The mailbox is just... The stack of CDs goes all the way up to the ceiling from my desk. It's just unbelievable. I'm looking at Felix right now, and I can barely see him. There's so many CDs. So, okay, so I'm excited. I've seen your list of songs.
00:55 I haven't heard the music, though. I'm very excited. You get to start. I'm actually really excited that I get to start, because, you know, I don't know. I don't know if I'm revealing information, but we start talking about our best music of the year pretty early on. Yes.
01:09 And so sometimes I'm like, well, I guess it's over. I guess, you know, this is what it is. And this record came out, Felix, that it was good enough that I just now was like, hey, by the way, what about this record for one of the best albums of the year? I like it that much. It's from the Puerto Rican band Chui. We've talked about them actually a number of times on the show.
01:30 Do you remember them? Yes. Yes. Yes, of course you do. And we had them on tiny desk. I loved them. And we had them on tiny desk. They were lovely.
01:36 And before I get into reiterating who they are, I want to play a track from this album. This song is called Blaine. You know, Anna, I've been listening to the record, and I've been trying to figure out what is it that makes it stand out to me. It was something about it. And you know what it is? It's so based on the Afro-Cuban Rumba, just traditional Rumba. On that track, you have the percussionist. playing what's called the cascada, the little sticks on the side of the drums,
03:07 checka chika, chika, and a nice little Rumba Konga part, and it could go into Wawanko at any minute, right? The Afro-Cubeid Wawanko. So it's like, that's what this record sounds like. It's just so concentrated on the sound. I love it. There's, to me, so many points of impressiveness and things to talk about in regards. I mean, even just with this one song, there was a line.
03:28 They say, Vinnimopaca, La Tierra de la Libertat. In fact, this is the Tierra de los Libre, and the rest have to inventor. Which in English is, we came here, the land of liberty or of the free,
03:40 Libertad being the name of the album. And the reality is that it's the land of the free and everyone else has to invent. And they fit that line into a song that actually reminds me a lot,
03:54 Felix, of there's a beautiful Juno Diaz book called This Is How You Lose Her. And there's these really striking beautiful scenes of this man who's the main character of the book,
04:03 describing, have you read this book, Felix? Yeah. Yeah, describing his experiences of their Dominican family moving from the island to New York and the pain that it causes his full family, especially his mom. And I think it's the ending scene perhaps, or you have this beautiful image of his mom leaving the house. It's him and her and the two boys. And they're standing in the middle of a snowstorm and she's just looking out dreaming
04:25 of the Dominican Republic. And that's in essence what this song thematically touches on. And that's where I think, like, you know, we even talked about this last week, right, songs that are capable of towing the line of the political and the personal and actually make the political feel more significant because of the personal. And this is one of those like really excellent balances where they tell a story that's about someone expressing dissatisfaction to their partner about having moved to the United States or the mainland. And yet they fit in lines like that. Like they're not even just putting it there, leaving it there, hey, this is the experience of a Puerto Rican in. New York or in the mainland, but rather this is the experience and also we're going to make some very subtle, beautiful, pointed critiques or comments about what this experience is like.
05:11 And I just think that that's so fabulous and artistic and thoughtful and they're so young. And yet they everything, this is their debut album, Felix. Like they haven't even, they're just getting going, you know, they've toured with Bad Bunny. We know that. Like they've really had this experience of getting to see a lot of the. world recently as they were finishing up this album be Puerto Rican in the rest of the world so I'm sure that that's informed coming from you know Isabella which is like a small town on on the west side of the island and now having just experienced the world and so to me it feels like it rooted
05:47 them down even further in their Puerto Ricanness in the island and then yes to talk about rhythmically feel like that's what I love too about these young Puerto Rican artists where yes we talk about like this global movement of the popularity of traditional sound. But in Puerto Rico, it's like legitimately, the young people are in the street playing plena. The young people go to the rumba even. The young people go, you know, to the bamba and all of these different things, you know, they go as activity as something that they all like to collectively be a part of. And so it doesn't feel like, oh, I'm trying to listen to my grandparents' music and make something out of it. It's like, no, this is actually just my daily life. This is what my...
06:28 my friends are playing. This is what my friends care about. And so I think there's something really, I don't know, magical when it comes from that infusion to society. I want to play you another track. Please do. Because I must. This track is called Bashiata. Felix, we have to talk about the incredibly dynamic vocals of Loren. So Chui is made up of Loren, her brother, Wes, and two other band members. And seriously, like, she, She can sing against anything. Like, obviously that song was impressive, production-wise, beautiful, so many amazing things that we could get into there. And she can, like, you could make the most impressive, interesting, whatever production, like intense choice.
08:01 And she can sing against it and hold her own. And that's part of this whole dynamic, what makes it work. I want to go out one last song, Felix, and I think it captures the essence of this whole album called Libertad. Again, liberty or freedom. This song is called Ptiel. If not nothing else, it's another song to add to the canon of alternative versions of the Star-Spangled Banner. Just beautiful. Just making a statement just by playing it.
09:13 I mean, if they didn't make their intention, their vision, their message clear with the title of the album Libertat, ending on that song, what can be said? They're so young and their vision is so clear. I really, really am excited to see what they do, truly, Felix. I know we say that a lot, but wow. That was a couple of songs from the new Chui album, Libertat. Okay, next we're going to go to Columbia with the track called Aki Seguide. And it's sort of a Colombian supergroup. It's Carlos Vives, Nidia Congora, and a very young vocalist named Juliana.
09:46 They get together for this single. I'm going to tell you all about it. The single is beautiful and the story behind it. is just as beautiful and fascinating. This is called Aki Seguire. Between millions, it's He moved the earth, But this is the most
10:33 I want Because a my people When it's over a force to get us to get in a while And even I'll never I'll I'll forget
10:51 of that the house that I've made to create For every I've got your Here, I'll see here You can hear the emotion in the voices.
11:03 This song was inspired. It was born from the tragedy of the August earthquake in Colombia. The tragedy of life lost. So many things that go wrong when earthquake happens like that. Juliana Vasquez, who goes by Juliana, was inspired to write the song. She says to lift spirits and to unite the country. And she reached out to Nidea Gongora, who's one of my favorite vocal, a singer-songwriter, cultural educator.
11:27 She's from the Pacific coast of the country and also Carlos Vivas, who is, of course, Carlos Vivas. You know, what's funny, Felix, is that vocal on there, which I think is Juliana, has this really interesting and similar, like, cleanness and openness
11:41 that I hear a lot from, like, a Joaquina, for example, from Venezuela, who's also making, has made some music that relates to Venezuela and everything happening there. And there's kind of like this return back to a certain style of pop to from Latin America that we hear.
11:57 some of these vocalists. And so it's interesting to hear that, that style repeated in this particular song, especially with the Carlos Vives on there, who, that's not really his style, traditionally, I would say. So, yeah, really beautiful track. Yeah, and I think we have to point out that Juliana, Juliana Vasquez, she won the best new artist Latin Grammy in 2021. So it's really inspiring to see some, again, someone so young, taking up the mantle of doing something positive.
12:23 And in this case, helping people because the proceeds from the sale of the single, It's going right back out to the community directly to the musicians who were impacted by the earthquake, who lost equipment, studios, etc. Again, the track is called Aki Seguide, and that features Juliana, Carlos Vivas, and Nydia Gongora. Okay, so Felix, this is an album I've been waiting for a while. This is artist Nesquick from Mexico from Monterey has released his second album. And just to give you a very quick breakdown of the indie distinct sounding Mexican. can see, and you have Latin Mafia, who we've talked about a number of times, especially recently with their collab with Fred again. And right there besides them is Nesquick. So I'm just going to get into
13:07 the music. This song is called Canonisado. I was a huge fan of his debut album that's called Radio ATP, and he's really into these conceptual albums. So that last record was really this kind of idea of encompassing the radio experience, the Radio Sound of Mexico, and turning that into this really interesting record that his big thing is like really elaborate and interesting and kind of, whoa, production choices. And so this last latest new album is called Mosca, which he told me, I spoke with him actually at the LAMC in New York, the Latin Alternative Music Conference.
14:40 And he told me it was actually inspired by Kafka's metamorphosis. I was like, what's about this album about? Oh, France Kafka. And he told me it related to his experience of like a lot of self-doubt and questioning and that he ultimately landed on the side of wanting to be the best. And so that's what this record is. Take that for what you will, Felix. You know, Monterey is a very curious place.
15:06 Because I was there in 2006. I was doing this series on, you know, the new thing of Latin alternative music. I did a series way back then. And when I was at South by Southwest that year, there were like eight bands from Monterey that year. So what's going on the water over there? So I spent some time over there.
15:26 And it was a curious mix of Cowboys. boy hats and alternative because they're certainly doing the accordion thing for sure man but it was but the whole scene the people the crowd the audience the on the the population everybody was like a mix of stuff man it was really cool what's that bar felix la iguana something like that yes yes i was there where you can listen to like all the it's like rock in one room and techno in another room and like all this really interesting it's really cool i was there and i only had coca cola just for the record Felix, why do you lie to us? I think it does, you know, that space there in downtown Monterey embodies the essence of what is.
16:08 I mean, also you think about the festival Pal Norte. It's kind of one of the most interesting mixes of music. You have literally banda next to, I remember I saw like Banda next to the 1975. And that really does represent what they are. And I do want to play you one more track off this album. It's called Ombre de Bien. The interesting thing about the stylistic wheelhouse of his last album is kind of both this satellite to Mexico and also closer to the U.S. So it's like both freerier and almost more adherent in some ways to the United States.
17:32 state sound. And so it creates this really interesting mix. But he's always just doing really fascinating things production-wise. I love that on that last track, too. The one I played before, you know, he's leaning into the more rock essence of Monterey, which is also very present. Rap is less present, but something that he does a lot. And so, I don't know, it's a really interesting mix. I really, I like his project a lot. Interesting mix from an interesting talent, for sure. That was a couple of songs off of the latest Nesquick album, Mosca. We're going to take a short break and then we're to come back with lots of more cool music right after this. And we're back, Anna.
18:10 Okay. I'm going to do one of those things where we take a little bit of time to talk a little bit in depth about this next artist. Felix, a little bit of time to talk in depth about this next artist out of your mouth. Just a little bit. I'll be quick. I'll be quick. You know, do you understand what you're saying?
18:30 Okay. I'll be quick. The next. track is called Rumbantella. It's from a band called the Mamba Legends Orchestra. And talk about Back to Roots. This band represents and contain members of bands who were the bedrock of big band Mamba in New York in the 40s and the 50s. And all of that stuff is the precursor to what we know is salsa. Let's just hear the track first. And you're going to have homework as you start listening
18:55 on it because I want you and the listeners to listen to the rhythm of the saxophones, the sound of the saxophones, and how they play against the trumpets and the trombones, and how they use horns as rhythm instruments in addition to all the percussion. For me, that's the magic and the glory of this music. This is La Rumba Tela from the Mommel Legends Orchestra. Okay, Anna, that was the great salsa singer.
20:40 Hilberto Santa Rosa on the lead vocals there. The rest of the band is made up of some veterans from the golden era of the Mamu in New York from the 1940s in 1950s. With the 1950s like being the most golden, the most resonant, Jose Madera is the director of the band, and his father was a founding member of Machito's Afro-Cubans back in I think it was the 30s of the 40s. He played with Tito Puente for over 30 years. Also, on Bongo, is a guy named Johnny Dandy Rodriguez,
21:08 who just died a few years ago. He died in 2024. His dad also played in a lot of these bands back in New York in the time. And he just moved right back in. He started playing with Tito Puente when he was 17 years old. And he played with Penta for like 35 years. And then also in the band is Mitch Frommon, who's much, much younger. But even as a younger musician, he played with Tito Pinto Pinto for 35 years.
21:30 And he's played with all the top bands of New York. You know, all of that stuff is just, that music is still so alive. And it has such a huge influence. No, not everybody who's a fan of the music will probably go back to that or listen to it on a regular basis. But like I said, Anna, it really is the basis for everything that people go out and do. I was just out someplace the other night. Somebody's doing salsa lessons and they're doing, you know, playing music that harkens back to this, right? I was going to say, Felix, all I'm imagining is you dancing.
22:02 Okay, so I just saw the band here. They were playing at Smithsonian over the summer. And somebody pointed out, said, Felix, everybody in the room was dancing, but you were standing in the front just watching and listening, just not even moving. Because it was such a joy to hear all of those horns coming at you. When we were playing this right now, Noah brought down the audio because it was a little loud in our headphones. But that's the glory of the music, man. It's like a rock band. You want it loud.
22:30 It is like a rock band. That's what this is about. Okay, just for context, very quickly. I want to play some old stuff so you can hear where they're coming from. This is from 1951, Machito's orchestra playing Donde Estabas You.
22:47 Check out the way they run the horns. Okay, next I want to play a tune from Tito Puente that was, it's from 1975, so it's on the tail end of his run, and just before he became more well-known for a smaller group. It's a remake of a song he did in 1963 called
23:35 Baba Ravatiti. Listen to the horns on this man. It just grew so hard. Check it out. So you get the idea, right, Anna?
24:09 Like those horns are so percussive and the idea behind it of just like, you know, if you're not dancing, you're dead or you're a music geek
24:16 just standing out in front of them watching the band. I was going to say Felix. What? Yeah. Ooh, ghost of Felix.
24:28 Class is adjourned. I hope you took notes because there will be a quiz. I did it. And take notes. Okay, Fee, very different pivot as per never. We never do that. This is a song off of Argentine singer Sophia Campos' new album, Minna Beleza.
24:46 The song is called Joaquin. You've got like a flower of primadera, a sun of madrugada in the garden. I'm when they told them you're for so much love that you've seen. It's certain that the years go passando when someone me what I don't think. That much extrañaria our infancy.
25:15 We always must leave space, Felix, for just sweet music. You know? This is Argentine singer Sophia Campos. Like I said, Minna Beleza is not Spanish. It's Portuguese, which there are a couple songs in Portuguese on this album, and I asked her about that because I was like, Dear Argentine, why is this in Portuguese? turns out she spent a good amount of her growing up actually in Brazil.
26:21 So there's that influence there. The people collaborating on that album are incredible Alejandro and Maria Laura. I think maybe are you familiar with them, Felix? No, not at all. Absolutely gorgeous duo. They're a married couple with the cutest kid on the planet Earth, and they just make really sweet, lovely music. They're Peruvian, and they now actually live in Valencia in Spain,
26:41 and just like the type of unexpected collaboration that I really, really love to see. And the whole album is just sweet like that. It's not too much to be said, except that it's really, really a nice, peaceful, lovely listen. I really like it. That was the song Joaquin off of Sophia Campos' new album, Mina Beleza.
26:58 Okay, we're going to close with a pivot. Another pivot. Wow, this is really, like, think about the music we've been playing on this episode, Felix. Oh, my God. Remember we started with Chui? And now this is where we're about to be.
27:13 Okay. Yeah. I mean, it's, you know, although the Chui and the Mamba legend they're sort of connected in a way with the Afro-Caribbean thing, but this has nothing to do with anything, okay?
27:24 This is a new track from one of my favorite bands, the Mars Vulta. They hold a fascinating place in the music world. The people who like them really like them, okay?
27:35 This is something from a new album coming out in November. This is a track called Voice in My Knives, Poseidora de mi sombra. Check it out. When the heart you shouldn't lose
27:46 becomes a strange. Here's the question, Felix. Why does this song deserve 19 minutes and 47 seconds? Okay, the song is in fact 19 minutes and 47 seconds. It's one track of an album that's coming out in November. You know, the Mars Volta, by the way, it was starting 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Sabala. They're from El Paso.
29:00 And they, you know, from the beginning, they have pushed. boundaries in terms of music and songwriting. You know, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is this prolific guitar player, an amazing guitar player, but not in the like 70s, like riffs, like guitar-slinger, gunslinger thing. His use of sonic textures are so amazing. I saw him once play with Resente at a show in Austin at South by Southwest. What he added to Residence thing that took it to another level. It was really incredible. I think that Cedric Bixler, Savala, has one of the best voices in rock and uses it in a traditional way. But with their lyrics and their songwriting that, again, push the boundaries. There's so many influences that come from all over the jazz world,
29:47 the rock world, the avant-garde world. And I think they hold a special place. I want to go back to why should it be 19 minutes and 47 seconds? I want to fast forward to about 12 minutes so you can hear, and it's very grateful dead like in a way, right? You can hear them sort of break down the song and then hear Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, just experiment with sounds.
30:11 Not playing notes, but just sounds. Check it out. So you get the idea. I mean, that's part of who they are. You can't put them in one box. That's why I love this band so much because there's so many different things that you can, some of their stuff, if you'd go
30:54 into their catalog, really like, straight had rock stuff that would fit in any other rock format, right? But then they took stuff like this and then a lot of other things, and they just break it up again. And it just, I don't know, man. They're like at least two generations younger than I am, maybe three, maybe four. But like we speak in the same language, man. I love these guys a lot.
31:14 And they had to fit it all into one song, all their different versions. Necessary, required. You know, if it takes that long to say it, then say it. As you would say, Felix, I dig it. You can dig it a lot. That is the track Voices in My Knives, Possedora de Misomera, from the Mars Volta. You have been listening to Alt Latino from NPR Music. Our producer is Noah Caldwell.
31:42 Executive producer of NPR Music is Soraya Mohamed. And the VP of music is Sonali Mata. As usual, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you on anything. Anything that's been going on and whether or not you think a song should be 19 minutes and 47. a second. You can find us at where? All Latino at npr.org. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayre. Thank you for listening. Thanks for listening.