Facet initiatives are an thrilling element in music, as a result of they provide followers the possibility to immerse themselves in disparate sounds from their favourite acts that may be simply as fascinating as (or fascinatingly contrasting with) their major outfits. The outcomes could also be unpredictable, however they let sure members of a gaggle dive into sounds which may’ve not match of their authentic band. Or they could be an extension of the riveting experimentation that already happened of their preliminary mission, however with extra emphasis on different devices or kinds.
Enter the electo pop-rock enigma of Astronomía Inside (AI): an electrifying mixture of digital configurations that appear to radiate someplace in outer house. It’s the newest facet mission of two Zoé bandmates — however this time, Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda joined forces to launch songs that “at instances appeared to come back from one other world or a distant future,” as they describe. The duo launched their eponymous debut album in January via Common Music Mexico, and can carry out at Vive Latino on March 18.
This isn’t the primary time that members of Zoé have explored on their very own. Frontman León Larregui continues to navigate his solo facet with nice success since Solstis (2012) and Voluma (2016). On Friday (March 10) the singer-songwriter releases his second set of two singles: “Chromocismic Ave,” a multilingual monitor with psychedelic touches, and “Holidays,” a delicate coo with guitar arpeggios, each from his upcoming album Prismarama due out later this 12 months. (The band’s former drummer, Siddhartha, has additionally loved a fruitful profession on his personal.)
Different outstanding bands akin to Maná have seen their members Sergio Vallín and Alex González launch facet initiatives, and Gustavo Santaolalla, considered one of Latin America’s most essential Latin rock producers, created an enchanting digital tango mission with Bajofondo, whereas additionally composing for movie and extra lately for the world of video video games.
Facet initiatives are outlined by their inclusion of a number of artists who’re primarily identified for his or her participation in one other group, akin to Jay de la Cueva or De La Tierra, for instance. They can be an artist or band that quickly and/or radically adjustments model – like HopPo! or Terri Gender Bender. Typically, these initiatives develop into larger than what the artist anticipated, as within the case of Kumbia Queers, a rowdy troupe of punks who got here from separate unbiased music initiatives.
With out additional ado, listed here are 10 excellent Latin music facet initiatives of the final decade (in alphabetical order).
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Astronomía Inside
Members: Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda of Zoé
Astronomía Inside (AI) is the newest musical mission of Zoé keyboardist Jesús Báez and bassist Ángel Mosqueda. As an extension of their musical versatility past the Mexican troupe, the duo shoots for the celebs to “progressively construct a constellation filled with musical magic” that may kind a “musical galaxy based mostly on emotion and visuals,” as they describe in a press launch.
In January, AI launched its debut album Astronomía Inside, which comprises hypnotic items of electro-pop brilliance akin to “California”, “Un Día Especial” and “Estrella Fugaz.” The duo will likely be touring the U.S. this 12 months and are confirmed for Vive Latino (March 18) and Pa’l Norte (March 31) festivals in Mexico.
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At The Drive-In
Picture Credit score: Andrew Benge/Redferns Members: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta; Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, and Keeley Davis (their most up-to-date line-up).
It’s debatable that At The Drive-In ought to’t be thought-about the facet mission of The Mars Volta members Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, since At The Drive-In occurred first, and likewise each musicians have a wide range of facet initiatives. However given the higher business success they’d with TMV (a gaggle with whom they’ve launched seven studio albums versus 4), we are going to assert, for the aim of this listing, that the post-hardcore group ultimately turned their facet mission.
Fashioned within the Nineteen Nineties, At The Drive-In is considered one of Cedric and Omar’s most recognizable initiatives. In 2000, they launched considered one of their most acclaimed albums, Relationship of Command, a 12 months earlier than forming TMV. Since then, the unique group went on hiatus, till reuniting in 2016 for yet another temporary interval.
Each Omar and Cedric have been extremely lively in various areas, the place they’ve exercised their artistic muscle tissues in unpredictable methods. Different facet initiatives of theirs embrace bands akin to De Facto, Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Bosnian Rainbows and Antemasque.
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Dante Spinetta
Identified for: Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas
Whether or not solo or with a gaggle, Dante Spinetta is a star in his personal proper. The rapper/singer fashioned the pioneering Kuryaki and the Valderramas within the ‘90s in Buenos Aires when he was 14 years outdated, alongside Emmanuel Horvilleur, to great worldwide success.
On the flip of the last decade, Dante launched solo materials that noticed him delving deeper, with the riveting mixture of hip-hop, funk and R&B heard in albums like Elevado (2002) and El Apagón (2007). With 2010’s Pyramide, the Argentine artist moved old-school rap and música urbana to the forefront.
Final 12 months, the eccentric artist dropped his fifth solo album, Mesa Dulce, the place followers may hear him embracing his funky and soulful facet, whereas additionally welcoming rising stars like Trueno and CA7RIEL into the combination for a number of options.
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De La Tierra
Picture Credit score: Martin DarkSoul Members: Andreas Kisser of Sepultura, Alex González of Maná, Andrés Giménez of A.N.I.M.A.L., Harold Hopkins Miranda of Yupa, and beforehand Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
One decade in the past, 4 musicians of internationally profitable bands united to usher in Latin metallic’s reawakening. It began with Mexican drummer Alex González’s craving to discover a extra hardcore sound exterior of Maná’s pop-driven rock ballads. Enlisting A.N.I.M.A.L. frontman Andrés Giménez, bassist Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs from Argentina and guitarist Andreas Kisser of Sepultura from Brazil, De La Tierra was born.
The all-star troupe launched their eponymous full-length debut in 2015 and second album II the next 12 months, which straddles demise metallic and slashing laborious rock. Including Puerto Rican bassist Harold to the lineup, after Flavio’s departure, the band launched their final rock ballad, “Distintos,” which options Andreas’ crystalline acoustic guitar pluckings in opposition to Andrés’ fervent vocals.
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Gustavo Santaolalla
Picture Credit score: César Guekian Identified for: Bajofondo, file producer, composer.
Gustavo Santaolalla’s vary as a musician, composer and producer is spectacular, and his various musical abilities make it a bit troublesome to see the place the principle mission begins and the facet mission ends.
As a musician, the multi-instrumentalist co-founded the Uruguayan-Argentinian ensemble Bajofondo, with their gripping components of tango and digital music. Santaolalla had already helped set up the pioneering rock nacional band Arco Iris within the hippie period.
As a producer, Gustavo Santaolalla established himself as the person behind lots of rock en español’s biggest information of all time. He helped pave the best way for the style’s cross-continental explosion, producing hits for megastars like Café Tacvba, Ely Guerra, Julieta Venegas, Maldita Vecindad, Los Prisioneros, Juanes and plenty of extra Latin rock icons.
As a composer, his movie scores have been featured in a few of the most essential Latin American cinema — together with award-winning twenty first century movies like Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Motorbike Diaries and Babel. His works have additionally appeared in TV exhibits and video video games.
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HopPo!
Members: Rubén Albarrán of Café Tacvba, Juan Pablo “Muñeco” Villanueva, Carlos Icaza, Rodrigo “Chino” Aros, Giancarlo Baldevenito.
Whereas on a break from Café Tacvba, the eccentric frontman Rubén Albarrán took benefit of his artistic wanderlust to assist kind HopPo!, which suggests “Let’s Go” within the Dakota language. He teamed up with three Chilean musicians to create music that honored the Chilean music motion, together with lovely covers from Chile’s ‘60s protest chief and musician Violeta Parra.
Geared up with a charango, sitar, pan flutes, guitar and drums, the rock-leaning folks combo was an enthralling homage to the protest music of Latin America in its battle for social and political justice, causes that Albarrán has been very vocal about.
Their final music as HopPo! so far is the Jorge González cowl, “El Futuro Se Fue.” González is finest often called the frontman of the political pop-rock band Los Prisioneros. Different releases by the facet mission embrace the EPs Te Vas al Sur (2014) and La Maga y el Sadhu (2018).
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Kumbia Queers
Members: Juana Chang, Pilar Arrese and Inés Laurencena of She-Devils; Flor Linyera; previously, Ali Gua Gua of Las Ultrasónicas.
Beginning off as a facet mission, Kumbia Queers made an enormous splash within the late ‘00s with their quirky tropical punk covers of the Treatment, Black Sabbath, the Ramones, and Madonna, the place they wrote authentic lyrics catered to their punk and queer life-style. With their knack for intelligent wordplay, signature fusion, and outrageous stage theatrics, the Argentine-Mexican queercore troupe capitalized on this area of interest and their “facet” gig turned an enormous hit.
Their 2011 launch La Gran Estafa del Tropipunk EP was an underground sensation, and songs like “Celosa” and “Daniela” have endured within the Latin different music catalog with humorous songwriting and danceable rhythms. They later adopted that up with Pecados Tropicales (2012) and La Oscuridad Bailable (2019), during which they continued to embrace cumbia villera, with infectious synthesizers and an irreverent perspective.
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Mexrrissey
Picture Credit score: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage Members: Camilo Lara of M.I.S.; Ceci Bastida of Tijuana No!; Chetes of Zurdok; Sergio Mendoza of Calexico and Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta; Jay de la Cueva of Moderatto, Fobia and Titán; Adan Jorodowsky of Adanowsky; Alex González of Twin Tones; and Alejandro Flores of Café Tacvba.
Comprised by Morrissey lovers, the Mexican supergroup reimagines songs by The Smiths’ frontman, as evidenced by their solely album, No Manchester (2016). Based by Camilo Lara and Sergio Mendoza, the forged of charro-clad rockers take turns performing songs by Moz. Complemented by a brass part and a vihuela, the album paperwork Britain’s fascination with bleak humor and Mexico’s knack for melodramas — simply search no additional than the telenovela.
Ardour, revolt and melancholy take heart stage as listeners watch the journey of a tragic loner wandering via a republic filled with agony, as heard within the music “Mexico.” With Jay de la Cueva’s angelic coo, Chetes’ swaggering sneer and Adanowsky’s heat vocals, “Estuvo Bien” is a superb remake of “Suedehead.” In the meantime, Ceci Bastida channels Moz’s cool in her surfy remake of “The Final of the Well-known Worldwide Playboys,” refashioned as “Worldwide Playgirl.”
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Sergio Vallín
Picture Credit score: Elishia Perosa Identified for: Maná
In Sergio Vallín’s first solo mission, Microsinfonías (2021), Maná’s guitarist ventures into classical music, accompanied by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. For the seven-track, self-produced instrumental album, the Mexican artist composed the intro and outro, and reworked hits by Alejandro Sanz (“Cuando nadie me ve”), Marco Antonio Solís (“Dónde está mi primavera”), Maná (“Vivir sin aire”), and Juan Luis Guerra (“Bachata rosa”), demonstrating his versatility in conducting lovely preparations with piano and shimmering strings.
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Teri Gender Bender
Identified for: Le Butcherettes
Mexican-born singer-songwriter and guitarist Teri Gender Bender, higher often called the frontwoman of Le Butcherettes, is stepping out of her standard zone to forge an id of her personal. Final 12 months she launched a collection of lo-fi bilingual singles and EPs, together with Saturn Intercourse and State of Worry. Her solo work is a pattern of avant-garde pop during which the tapatía explores aspects of her life with an idiosyncratic and experimental strategy, with out ever abandoning the distorted sound of her electrical guitar.
