Kap G - Like a Mexican

Like a Mexican, Kap G
Independiente, USA
Rating: 78
by Pierre Lestruhaut

The debut mixtape from Kap G, 19-year-old Atlanta-based Latino rapper, starts with words from DJ Drama: “One thing about the rap game that’s always respected is authenticism.” It might sound like the old maxim that prophesizes how music should be judged mainly on its realness, yet no matter how many thinkpieces get regurgitated about the conflicts of authenticism in art; you can always grasp flashes of authenticism in the details. The best street life rap albums, from Illmatic to The Luca Brasi Story, are the ones that carry the vivid imagery you only get from living that kind of life. Rest assured, Like A Mexican is no Illmatic, but it’s the promise and first step of a rapper whose depiction of street, family, and party life, carries the rough and rich storytelling that’s usually the imprint of good rap.

Kap G starts the mixtape wailing like Waka Flocka Flame, but instead of yelling about getting fucked up with "killers and hood niggas," he yells "pesos, pesos, pesos," and "Qué pasa homes." He’s got the mastery of dropping pop culture references that will prompt a smile on rap nerds who love Paul’s Boutique for the same reason. In “Eddie Guerrero” he raps about what he’s willing to do to get paper, which we can guess has to be related to the deceased wrestler’s catchprase: "I Lie! I Cheat! I Steal!." Then in “That Paper” he states of how he has no problems "kicking bitches out" in the morning, despite how much they love him. He’s still a man of values though, as he recognizes in "La Familia," in which he shows the sort of respect and loyalty to those that are blood-related to him that would certainly make Tío Salamanca proud.

Even if lyrically it seems to have been made in the US-Mexico border, sonically this has Atlanta’s imprints all over it. What initially hits you while listening to the mixtape, is just how extremely well surrounded Kap G is. There's beats provided by the likes of Bangladesh, Pharrell (yes Pharrell), and Drumma Boy, and guest spots by Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy. But it’s the production that’s particularly admirable. Bangladesh is responsible for the first two beats and not only drops the most club-trashing ones but also adds a few samples (the danzón-like horns) that fit in with the “Like A Mexican” concept. With that exception though, it’s all about the same bombastic Southern rap and trap-hop production that’s been the backdrop for Atlanta's best songs these past few years. Squat Beats’ psychedelic synth lines in “R.I.P.” and “Fuck la Policía (FLP)” provide the mixtape’s best moments for pure aural bliss, and it's also when Kap G is at his best on the mic.

The young Atlanta rapper has the slow-paced flow of Rich Homie Quan in “Type of Way,” one that’s more focused on catchiness than lyrical prowess. It’s rapping that’s delivery-driven, and he sounds so drowsy and stoned in some songs that you can even see the smoke clouds that were probably circling the studio during the recording sessions. Even if he abuses Latino slang and cultural references a little too much, making it feel occasionally like the rap industry is attempting to connect with US Latinos, he can also go from hilarious when speaking of his preference of sex over romance ("Mami please don’t give me beso/I just want some good cabeza") to highly critical and poignant when verging towards social commentary on being a descendant of immigrants in the US ("So the cops pulled me over say the windows too tinted/Basically saying that my ‘migos ain't from here," "And my bro tatted up they think he MS13"). Even if the mixtape is a success mainly because Kap G has managed to acquire a top-notch set of supporting guests and producers, at such a young age he's got the delivery and shout-along hooks that make his peers right in placing such trust and hopes in him.

Arca - &&&&&

&&&&&, Arca
Hippos In Tanks, Venezuela
Rating: 83
by Carlos Reyes

Pierre Lestruhaut was the first critic to write a proper album review for Arca. Within hours of its publication, the mastermind behind it (Alejandro Ghersi, formerly known around these parts as Nuuro) reached out to us hoping we could adjust our review for Baron Libre. The Venezuelan producer explained that he envisioned this project as something coming out of a black canvas, hoping to pull off an anonymous contour a la Burial. To which we agreed (with very little enthusiasm) to remove his name (and a whole introductory paragraph) from the review. Such request seems silly now. Little did Ghersi know that just one year later, his name would appear on every publication out there as he became exposed to world acknowledgment as one of the producers of Yeezus, the most mystifying album by Kanye West.

Since we never really got to properly introduce Ghersi’s incarnation as Arca, we might as well do so now. Despite earning a glorious emancipation with The Reddest Ruby, Nuuro never seemed to escape the description of being a prodigy producer. I’m sure I’m not the only that still carries “Safe Safe Safe” and “256 MB of Love” on my ipod. The idea of letting them go doesn’t sit well with me. But it’s only a transitory feeling. Because whenever I find myself trapped in the world of Arca, there really isn’t any other music I’d rather be listening to. Ghersi got bold and serious with Arca. And as the very brave Lestruhaut pointed out on his second time reviewing him (Stretch 2), Arca also became a very difficult act to articulate about. Perhaps I’m taking the easy route to approach his music, but dissecting an artist’s past, and making good terms with it, makes the journalistic duty less intimidating.

Much like reviewing Baron Libre and the two volumes of Stretch, Arca’s sole release this year is a challenge. Conceptually, &&&&& could be read as either Arca’s most selective release yet, or as its less official work yet. Considering he had three releases last year, we could make the case this is his most collected reference yet. In the other hand, this one has been structured as a mixtape, and thus, it doesn’t carry the essential assertion of an official release. Whichever way it was conceived, &&&& is far from a novelty. From the get-go, it’s best to make peace with the mixtape's dense inscrutability. Ghersi’s experimental endeavors here are interchangeably exciting, maddening, perverse, and terrifying.

The fact that the mixtape isn’t fragmented by individual tracks makes it hard to pinpoint to precise hotspots, and that actually makes things exciting. Of course, there are defined choices made by Ghersi that stand out: the whimsical fairies on minute four, the unconsoling piano on minute twelve, the terrifying howl on minute seventeen, and the verbalization of a post-everything society at the twenty-one minute mark. At 25min. long, &&&& is ever-peeling but not superfluous. There’s an emotional restraint/awakening in its genetics that resonates well with the human condition. Like its artwork, &&&&& is cacophonic, broken and grotesque. Arca provokes and dislocates, but also provides shelter under his umbrella. It’s like imagining Werner Herzog and David Lynch sharing a seesaw –like taking a peek into a future that’s already here.

Füete Billēte - Música de Capsulón

Música de Capsulón, Füete Billēte
Independiente, Puerto Rico
Rating: 94
by Enrique Coyotzi

It was back in January, when we first stumbled upon the thrilling “La Trilla,” that Füete Billēte, Puerto Rico's hottest rising act, started creating a significant amount of buzz. Ever since that promising introduction, Füete Billēte uploaded periodically to their SoundCloud many more dazzling tracks, whose quality promised a daring, piercing, and remarkable first reference. After some months of waiting, the superb, scandalous, hit-packed mixtape Música de Capsulón is finally here, marking the boldest debut release by any Iberoamerican artist this year.

Füete Billēte, made up by rappers Beibi Johnson and Dávila 666 frontman Pepper Kilo, along with producer Freebass, seem to be sailing under A$AP Rocky’s “PMW” philosophy. Their lyrics, while consistently offensive and misogynistic, honestly share the point of view of a street dog, a pimp, a gangsta—dudes who are real and aren’t afraid to explicitly speak about the shit they’ve gone through, their experiences exactly the way they’ve lived them. They tell it like it is. Despite falling into bad taste territory, as Pepper Kilo declares in “Bien Guillao,” “una vida como ésta hay que contarla.” He also justifies pretty well the group's motifs in this interview, explaining, “Rap shouldn't be an acceptable thing for everyone. Rap is about speaking the truth, what happens in the street, and how people live in the streets.” While some listeners may take Füete Billēte as a joke (some of their lyrics are simply too damn funny or purposefully outrageous), you can tell Pepper Kilo is being dead serious when making this statement.

Hate them or love them, there’s no denying Música de Capsulón is a hell of an accomplishment—a necessary refreshment for 2013’s closure. If you've been following their SoundCloud activity, chances are you probably know by heart the majority of these songs. The real pleasure is to have them, at last, in a perfectly sequenced release, where there’s hardly chance to breathe. And I mean that as a compliment. Like Janelle Monáe’s The Electric Lady, or even El Gran Silencio’s Chúntaros Radio Poder, Füete Billēte include a couple of skits resembling radio listening and a couple of others that bring to mind that disconcerting, yet hella funny voice message at the end of Calle 13's “Uiyi Guaye.” With hardly any pause between tracks, the MCs found a robust manner to accommodate their previous offerings, assembling an entrancing narrative. Whether it's with the assistance of Freebass' luxurious beats or Overlord's under-purple-drank, stoner production, Füete Billēte's vast musical spectrum, which ranges from '90s rap, to crunk, to contemporary hip hop, stands out throughout, revealing new genius in every spin.

Beibi's and Pepper's performances, however, are what steal the whole show. Johnson's reggaeton-esque flow is commanding, while Kilo's sick, often Auto-Tuned verses are intrepid. If the listener could picture their physical state during the entire record, one would admire them with red and dilated eyes. The sheer volume of smashers on Música de Capsulón is impressive. Following the throwback intro “Mira Esa Perrita,” the title track quickly makes itself present. It easily equalizes the same exciting effect we had when we first heard “La Trilla.” The self-aware “La Moda,” hard-hitting “Hasta el Piso,” and Aaliyah-sampling “Una en un Millón” are ultimately designed for perrear/twerking. Outstanding singles “Bien Guillao” and “Al Mando” bring out their most gangster side, while Overlord-produced tracks “Fumaera Namás” and “Vaso Lento” exhibit them DUI all the way. They even show their more romantic style in the fucking sexy “No Me Quito” and get dreamy in the opulent “Peces Cuadraos.” Whichever side they present, they succeed in it.

From the Fugees’ inspired album cover to the notable invested labor in its conception and brilliant nods to its influences, everything about Música de Capsulón feels meticulously mastered and conferred. Even though it's conceived as a mixtape, just like BFlecha and her panoramic βeta, Füete Billēte confected a release that surely feels like an album in the whole extension of the word. Inescapably irresistible, potentially controversial, and already exuding timelessness, Música de Capsulón certainly establishes one of the greatest hip hop careers in years to come.

Sunsplash - Live in Maracana

Live in Maracana, Sunsplash

Cocobass, Venezuela/Brazil

Rating: 70

by Carlos Reyes



If you attended any party during the ultra-fluorescent early years of The Hype Machine, chances are you danced or fornicated to the rhythm of the now departed Venezuelan sensation, Todosantos. We’re talking serious business here. Five years ago they were the band the middle-class cool kids were listening to, the DJ's best-kept secret, and the talk of the SXSW after parties. After the distressing Todosantos breakup, lead vocalist Alberto Stangarone went on to deliver the single best remix on El Guincho’s Antillas EP, eventually investing his prolific upbeat mayhem along Brazilian dancehall dissenter Clarissa Steed. Together they go by Sunsplash.



Two years ago they released their epically upbeat first single, “Fiera de Vinil,” and, ever since, fans have been eagerly awaiting a proper release. Live in Maracana is the closest they’ve gotten to releasing an album, but it’s not proper at all. Artists and labels that tend to masquerade mixtapes as legitimate releases are the same people that can’t tell the difference between an EP and a maxi-single. I’m pointing to about 90 percent of the self-governed urban pop labels out there, including our beloved half Venezuelan, half Tijuanense tropipop label, Cocobass. Having established my concerns with taking mixtapes too seriously, I’m beyond content with what’s accomplished in Live in Maracana. There’s so much oomph in this thing that they make the premise of bass and banana drums splashing the sun sound believable.



The main dish in Live in Maracana is a spectacular 22-minute steamrolling mix where the unlikely duo pitches a lifetime supply of club bangers, propulsive fusions, and proportionless dancefloor urgency. With inexplicable tracks like “Riva Starr Got Jacked” and “Supersupimpomatic” and superb remixes for Os Mutantes and Jovenes y Sexys, this mix is up there with M.I.A.’s dazzling Vicki Leekx, so radiant and so sweaty it will leave you wheezing. The only real drawback here is the inconvenience of such a lengthy number. I’d be surprised if anyone (who’s not a DJ) actually syncs the whole thing to his or her iPod. Lucky for us, three of the tracks find individuality with the help of some sharp remixers, including Cory Blaine and Jairomendez. This is not the reference album we’ve been waiting for, but it does make us shout, “OMG, they totally got it!”

♫♫♫ "A Brave New Me" (Bailefunk Edit) | Download Album | Facebook

Amylulita's Halloween "Amor y Sangre" DJ Mix

Club Fonograma is not big on holiday themes, but Halloween is just too inspiring to overlook. It’s the one celebration that just never gets old; it transitions. If you’re in your 20s and up, chances are you’ll find yourself at a party, and you know the costumes & snacks aren’t enough, it’s the music what shapes up the night. If you still need some tunes for Halloween, this hot new mix from Nacotheque’s Amylulita might help. The gorgeous DJ knows how to embed different styles and generations into a sensational playlist. Amylulita’s Halloween “Amor y Sangre” mix is cohesive, obtrusive when it needs to be, scary at times, rare, and traditional. It’s a phenomenal centerpiece for your party.

AMYLULITA'S HALLOWEEN "AMOR Y SANGRE" DJ MIX
1. Intro
2. Everyday is Halloween - Ministry
3. Sangre - Paralisis Permanente
4. What's Inside a Girl - The Cramps
5. Cine De Terror - Los Cretinos
6. Pet Sematary - The Ramones
7. Swing Lobo in Puerto Rico - Mataplantas
8. Ghostbusters (Dance Mix) - Thoko
9. Los Muertos Pueden Bailar - Easy Snap
10. Weird Science (dance mix) - Oingo Boingo
11. Good night, Herr Doktor (sound clip)
12. Fantasmas - Ole Ole
13. Thriller - Michael Jackson
14. Soy Dracula - McNamara
15. Halloween - Siouxsie & The Banshees
16. A Nightmare on Elm Street (sound clip)

El Guincho - FACT Mix 187

We’re still very proud of having one of El Guincho’s 10 hand-made (customed by Pablo Diaz-Reixa himself) tapes for Gorilla vs. Bear’s ‘Gorila Contra Bear Mixtape’, which featured artists from around the world that have inspired him. This time, he made a stunning and revealing mix for FACT Magazine. FACT 187 collects his Iberoamerican influences that go from Ruben Blades to Los Bukis. Click over to FACT for the tracklist.

Earlier this year the Barcelona-based Guinch released the first instalment in his limited edition Piratas de Sudamérica EP series. Recorded at home with deliberately low frequency response then bounced down to the tape, the EP consisted of covers and rearrangements of South American standards and lost classics. This spirit of discovery informs his totally unique FACT mix, wherein he finds incredible, often unlikely psychedelic resonances in traditional music and pop from the Spanish-speaking world, elegantly editing tracks by the likes of Javier Solis, Rolando Laserie and Gloria Lasso into a hypnotic and righteous flow. We also reckon this is the first and last time you’ll hear a Julio Iglesias track on a FACT mix.

♫♫♫ Fact Mix 187: El Guincho

Daniel Klaüser - Ayarachi Mixtape

Ayarachi Mixtape is the latest set from Chilean producer Daniel Klaüser, better known as ‘Don Conejo.’ The mixtape format is today’s ideal medium for electronic acts exploring the “in between” sounds. Whether it’s the fusion of folk with a modern approach, or the convergence of different time frames, the mixtape welcomes all those possibilities, not to mention how label-friendly it has become lately. Ayarachi is not just well-sequenced, it creates its own narrative through precise editing, but above all, the music selection here is superb and unique. From Gerard FM’s “Tombola” to Zombie Disco Squad’s “The Duke Sound,” everyone should give it a try, a must. Download Ayarachi HERE.

You can also dig around Don Conejo’s soundcloud for more traditional neo-cumbia, pay special attention to “A Lo Perrito,” a battle between Don Conejo, Snoop Dogg and Pibes Chorros.

ArtistAdvocacy. Guest Mixtape by Las Robertas

Las Robertas are without a doubt, one of the year’s revelations. Many of us were first enlightened to find a badass all-girl band from Costa Rica, but once you pass the specifics, you realize they really are a fantastic band with a very solid debut. Artist Advocacy invited them to do a Guest Mixtape, and they decided to make a playlist full of Iberoamerican talent. It includes some of our favorites like Javiera Mena, Algodon Egipcio and Triangulo de Amor Bizarro, to a good fair amount of bands we don’t know and we're quickly falling in love with, such as Spain’s Mirafiori and Mexico’s San Pedro El Cortez.

So our mixtape is ready.. it took us quite long because we wanted to do something very cool including bands of friends around de Spanish/Latin America speaking world.. so here it is finally.. The setlist includes (in order), the artists,country of origin and song title. We included legendary bands and musicians such as Los Saicos and Spanish 60’s pop darling, Jeanette. Lots of new and upcoming interesting projects that we like and are in love with, such as Dávila 666 (we’re planning to play together as soon as we can) and various new cool bands such as all-girl-Barcelona’s-band: Aias (they sing in Catalan), Mexico’s San Pedro El Cortez and Spain’s Beat Happening/K records revival band: Kokoscka…

Summer Jamz 2010 - Let Me Put My Rhythm In You [UPDATED LINK]

It's that time of year. Summertime. Not just the time of year when the sun begins to make you hallucinate so badly that you begin running after a paleta that's JUST OUT OF REACH. No, it's SUMMER JAMZ SEASON! The "Summer Jamz" series started out at wonderful Stylus Magazine, where the staff would create customized mixtapes based on a general mood, theme, or meditation influenced by the season. And even though Stylus lies in the internet graveyard, many of its writers still continue the "Summer Jamz" tradition through the website The Passion of the Weiss, which is run by the world's greatest hip-hop writer (and former Stylus alum) Jeff Weiss. This year's other Summer Jamz have been running on that site throughout the summer, and will continue for the next few weeks, and I'd highly recommend checking some of them out.

However, I'm here to post the entry compiled by me and Jeff Siegel, another Stylus ex-pat who's an overall brilliant and talented man. He's also responsible for that funky bit of cover art above. Our general theme was "hypnotic and lazy," and I hope we've delivered. The link and tracklist are below (with many of your Club Fonograma faves!). Please, pick your feet up and enjoy this sweet, sweet digibrilliance.

Link: Let Me Put My Rhythm In You [updated link!]

Disc One*
1) Cluster & Eno - "Schöne Hände"
2) Café Tacuba - "13"
3) Memory Cassette - "Surfin'"
4) Los Espíritus - "Pacifico-Atlantico"
5) Mark E - "Smiling"
6) A Tribe Called Quest - "Electric Relaxation"
7) Emilio José - "Rio Grande do Sul"
8) Hoahio - "Jellyfish"
9) Pérez Prado & His Orchestra - "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom"
10) El Guincho ft. Julieta Venegas - "Mientes"
11) Horace Andy - "Money Money"
12) Loop - "Mother Sky"
13) Andrew Paine - "The Radioactive Cat"

Disc Two*
1) Los Amparito - "Los Miradas de Magaly"
2) Fantastic Mr. Fox - "Bricka-Brac"
3) Actress - "Hubble"
4) Glissandro 70 - "Bolan Muppets"
5) Prissa - "Lógica"
6) Joyce w/ Nana Vasconcelos & Mauricio Maestro - "Metralhadeira"
7) The Meters - "Cissy Strut"
8) Natalia Lafourcade & Emanuel Del Real - "Diente Blanco, No Te Vayas"
9) Four Tet & Rothko - "Rivers Become Oceans"
10) Illum Sphere - "Psycho"
11) Madame Mboty Mamy & dit Mama Tsara - "Maman Ny'Lisa"
12) Juana Molina - "El Perro"
13) James Ferraro - "Blacktop Tumble Weed"
14) Santo & Johnny - "Sleep Walk"

* This mixtape isn't really two separate folders. I just like to conceptualize it that way.

Un Mono Azul - Raza Cósmica Mixtape

Argentina’s Un Mono Azul is coming up with some great sounds and rhythms and putting together some seriously sick mash ups. His style is organic and free flowing and, given that he considers a set to be the equivalent of a song, that makes a lot of sense. What he is most interested in is creating atmospheres and telling stories through sensations. He mixes as he goes, and the final product is born out of freestyling. Many of his mixes are simply uploaded directly after playing a live show.

For his latest Raza Cósmica Mixtape, Un Mono Azul focused his energies on creating a medley of tropical-celestial mash ups, featuring songs by El Remolón, Calle 13, and Douster, among others. If you can get past the mixtape’s opener, an Andy Milonakis “Chickentown” edit (which we know is a lot to ask, but bear with us), you’ll be glad you did. The rest of the mixtape creates a vintage digital beach of an atmosphere, complete with pixilated palm trees and a sunglasses-wearing sun. You'll definitely want to bust out the rainbow-colored beach ball for this one.

Tracklist:

Andy Milonakis – Chickentown (Un Mono Azul macumba edit)
Marcelo Fabian – Sed de mar (Sonido del Principe edit)
El Remolón vs Zonora Point vs Tulio Enrique – Mc Hammer llorón (Un Mono Azul edit)
Poirier ft. Boogat – Kalima Shop Titi (Uproot Andy rmx)
Calle 13 vs Douster – Electro Khasr (Un Mono Azul mash up)
Crookers – Funk Mundial (Rene Kuppens lol rmx)
Ludachrist – Pon de Foley (Major Lazer vs Harold Faltermeyer)
Un Mono Azul – El ruidito del Punani (Hechizeros Band vs Douster)
Idan K and the Movement of Rhythm ft. Wunmi – Change got to come (Sabbo rmx)
Douster vs 20 Fingers – Lick it Duro (Un Mono Azul mash up)
Lagartijeando – Zindud
Edu K vs Fauna – Zombies Jumpin (Dubbel Dutch rmx / Un Mono Azul mash up)
Juan Magan & M. Rodriguez vs Cholita Sound – Serpiente Bora (Mastiksoul rmx / Un Mono Azul macumba edit)
Rusko – Da Cali Anthem (Nonewyork refix / Un Mono Azul macumba edit)

Raza Cósmica Mixtape by UN MONO AZUL

María y José - Mega Calorón Mix

In an effort to keep your summer fresh and full of aural goodies, here is the latest mix from Fonograma favorite María y José. It’s the perfect transition to move away from our Midyear playlists, which we confess were a bit too distracting and strong to write content around them. So while we let these lists sink in for a minute, give yourself a treat with this Mega Caloron Mix (Guaracha Cosmica) from the guy who might be making the year’s most exciting music, from the luminous Espiritu Invisible to the equally moving Kibose EP. Perhaps the most precious minute in this mix comes with Los Espíritus and a very raw demo of a song we’ve been digging lately “Besito en el Ombliguito.”

Mega Calorón Mix
María y José- Calorón Samba
María y José- Playa Triángular
DJ Mouse- Pompi Cadera (DJ Erick Rincón Remix)
María y José vs NT89- Duro Poopa (Mexicanos Al Grito de Jump Mashup)
Lewis Cancut- Get Low (Chico Ye Remix)
Los Espíritus- Besito En El Ombliguito
DJ Erick Rincón & DJ Asa- Todos A Bailar
DJ Sheeqo Beat- Alarma
Lucid-Night Go
DJ Antena- Con La Mano Arriba Todos
??????-??????
WILDLIFE!- Jumbie (Toy Selectah Cósmico Guarachero Remix)
Munchi- Sandungueo
Chico Ye- Rayo Lazer (Reggaeton Mix)
Sandro Silva- Told Ya (DJ Melo Moombahton Edit)
Isa GT- Pa' Las Mamacitas (Sonora Remix)
??????-??????

María y José - Vamos A Rezar Mix

Vamos A Rezar Mix
Puto Prata- Zuata Zuata
DJ Alan- La Kuinna
Erick Rincón- Obatalaya
Major Lazer- Keep It Going Louder (María y José Remix)
Kid Kaio- We Don't Give A
DJ Kuri- Mueve La Pompa (DJ Nestor Mix)
Daniel Haaskman ft. Mc Miltinho- Kid Konga (Highbloo Remix)
Mi Banda El Mexicano- Ma,Me,Mi,Mo,Mu
DJ Reymix- Ofrifri Ofrafra
DJ Spin Laden- Cocoman
Krylon- Vai Sentado
El Mago- El Agüa
Los Sepultureros De Guanajuato- Adiós Playas De Mi Pueblo

42:33
Download!
Yo Te Amo / María y José MySpace

Nacotheque's Jalloween Mix. by Amylulita

You guys remember our Rocolas? It brings nostalgia just thinking of them, not because of what they were but because back then I was trying to be like Nacotheque’s Marcelo Cunning and Amylulita. They’re New York’s coolest party hosts and in the development of this blog, their awesome mixtapes helped me appreciate Latin American pop on its most flashy flamboyant way (blame them). Remezcla has this awesome Jalloween Mix by Amylulita, two sides of pure fun for tonight’s celebration. Download!

SIDE A:
>>>download

Mister Chivo. “Soy Dracula” / Amandititita. “La Mata Viejitas” / Kinder Porno. “Mi novio es un Zombie Null / Desechables. “Labios Ardientes / Rocky Horror Show. “Que le ha pasasado al sábado? / Andres Pajares. “Dracula Ye-Ye” / Timbiriche. “El Baile del Sapo.” / Waldorf Historia. “Vampiros Adolescentes” / Paralisis Permanente. “Sangre” / Kinky. “A donde van los muertos?”

SIDE B:
>>>download

Alaska y Dinamarca. “Mi novio es un zombie”/ McNamara. “Soy Dracula / Shakira. “Loba” (Quemadiscos Mix) / Loco Mia. “Loco Mia” / Los Querubines Negros Molocotongo. “La Cumbia Metalera” / Miser Chivo. “El Monje Loco” / Mister Chivo. “El Hombre Lobo” / Lost Acapulco. “Que monstruos son” / “Adam’s Family Theme Song” / The Moontrekkers. “Night of the Vampire”

Mixtape: Dancing Cheetah! - Tropicaliente

Summer time is the time for mixtapes, I googled to see if other blogs had picked up our Summer Jamz: Illegal Accordion Mixtape by Andrew Casillas and Dan Weiss, and among other sites I found a blog from Brazil that really liked it. The blog is called Dancing Cheetah, I went through it and found really good content (in Portuguese), but it was this mixtape that made me stop right away, first because of its savagely awesome cover, a masked monkey with partial grills! Luckily, its cuteness doesn’t stop there, the set is awesome and the execution too, that is if you want to dance to almost 60 mintues of Cumbia, Reggaeton, Carimbo, Merengue and other dancing sensations. Pay close attention to Fonograma favorites Mexican Institute of Sound and our favorite persona from ZZK Records El Remolon.

Download Tropicaliente

Gorila Contra Bear Mixtape by El Guincho

Back in October of last year El Guincho made the Gorila Contra Bear mixtape (in honor of badass blog Gorilla vs Bear), with awesome songs by Yoruba Andabo, Trio Matamoros, Phyllis Dillon, The Congos, Fase Nuova, Extraperlo, Roberto Carlos among others. Thing is, El Guincho along with GvsB, imeem and Beggars made an actual mixtape and made 10 copies of it which they would give away to 10 people that would post the mixtape or embed it through their blog, MySpace or any other social network. You can see where this is going, I got one! THANKS.

Seriously, what a better way to make finals week seem nicer, these hours of studying are actually enjoyable, I don't mind that it took 7 months for it to get to me, after all, El Guincho made custom cover art for each one of the cassettes himself. In addition to the mixtape, I got a poster, a Palmitos Park 7'' vinyl, and the Alegranza CD. Anyway, just thought I would share it, I'm showing off probably but remember Alegranza! was my favorite album of 2008. Best of luck to all college kids with those exams, here is the mixtape again since it's helping me a lot, it's only 30 minutes long but you can always pop in his CD for more tropicalia extravaganza.

Download Gorila Contra Bear Mixtape

"Chica Virtual", Arcangel

I don’t usually please requests, simply because that’s like not the point of this blog at all, but considering that it’s coming from several readers, well, why not? Before I make the post even more confusing, I’m talking about a requested song, “Chica Virtual” by Arcangel (one of the most popular tracks on our Rocola). It gets frustrating to talk about this artist because nothing seems to solidify in his favor, and I’m scared he’ll go the wrong way and become just another reggaeton artist, which he isn’t. Arcangel is collaborating with everybody, even making the official remix for Flex’s “Te Quiero” and that’s both depressing and scary, he has not released an official physical album yet and is one of the most demanded artists in the genre. Arcangel needs some guidance, stay away from the Daddy Yankees and the Don Omares, keep Nejo y Dalmata very close and put some more fire into Full Records. Don’t disappoint me; you got the material to become huge with your rough egocentric proposal. I posted a video for “Chica Virtual” on Halloween, which has Michael Jackson’s video footage, and our readers really loved it to the point people are asking if it’s a new single. Truth is, this song is from his 2007 The New King Mix Tape, which was my first encounter with reggaeton’s new guru. At some point I intended to post the following video on our ‘Video Bizarro’ series, but I might as well post it now, it’s sexy and the woman‘s last line is adorable: “I don’t know Spanish, but who cares, I tried my best.” That’s the spirit!

♫♫♫ "Chica Virtual"

MySpace

El Otro Mixtape, Chyno Nyno

I still can’t understand how Wisin y Yandel and Flex are now Latin Grammy winners, before urban god Tego Calderon, I’m sorry but that’s seriously fucked up. Anyway, this post isn’t much about him as he only does a tiny collaboration here; the shining protagonist here is Chyno Nino. His name is Andre Rodriguez from Puerto Rico, according to his MySpace he is “the favorite rapper of your favorite rapper.” I am deeply impressed by the supremacy and command of his lyrics, a comeback to classic Hip Hop. He might not belong to the circle of great reggaeton acts made up of Arcangel & Ñejo y Dalmata, but I wish I could hear him on radio a lot more often. I remember listening to a remix of “Los Mate” from Tego’s masterful The Underdog/El Subestimado which featured Chyno Nino and Arcangel; I don’t think he’s been on mainstream radio since then. Thing is he just released the best Latin urban mixtape I’ve heard since Arcangel’s The New King. The standout track here “Genuino”, and believe me, the voice and lyrics are powerful on all 21 pieces of El Otro Mixtape. I almost spilled my coffee when I heard Tego shouting “Chyno Nyno mira vamo’ al coro cabron no abuse.”

♫♫♫ “Genuino” feat. Tego Calderon
MySpace