Javiera Mena - "La Joya"

People often refer to us as Chilean pop insiders. And although we don’t shy away from calling her our diva, we’ve been very distant to Javiera Mena’s highly anticipated follow up to Mena –the only album to have ever received a perfect score from us. Considering someone leaked Mena about six months before its release date, it’s understandable that Javiera and producer Cristian Heyne have opted to keep the new album (out in September) under extreme vigilance. Today, on her birthday, Javiera has released “La Joya,” the second single off her third album. If first single “Espada” had some people claiming we had “lost her to the mainstream” and comparing the pop agency of the song to something Paulina Rubio would do, the new single will complicate things even further.

The music in “La Joya” is vibrant and the melody is eventually catchy. It’s the further reduction in the lyrics (particularly in the bridge towards the chorus) that builds a barricade that prevents it from being truly engaging during its first half. Things get much better once the song re-structures its proposition on its second half. The synths get bold, the melodies find a direction, and some very militant vocals provide the track with roundness and pop prowess. “Espada” wasn’t an easy swallow either. For some people, it was resolved once the music clip came out. For me, I realized I loved it when Sam Rodgers referred to the performance as “an 8-bit character in a fantasy quest game, collecting coins.” Perhaps something will resolve “La Joya” for us too –hopefully the album itself. It’s okay to be skeptical –that’s why we’re here. Javiera is doing her job, acquiring visibility and keeping momentum until it’s time to open her vault.

Bill Yonson - "Chola"

Bill Yonson (Josué Coronado Navarrete) belongs to a new b-level of DIY pop stylists/expressionists making some of the most exciting music coming out of Mexico (Tony Gallardo II, Pájaro Sin Alas, Fonobisa). Via our friends at Matinee As Hell, we learn about his forthcoming sophomore album, El Principe del Mar (in all due honor to El Principe del Rap if you had not figured out by the album cover). While initially alienating and hard to take seriously, Bill Yonson’s new single “Chola” proves to be as deep cutting as it is charmingly weird. “Ese apodo de ojos tristes te queda bien,” sighs a decoded voice as it scratches a platform of casio keyboards and dembow. Affording wittiness on the promotional cut of your album is a very good thing. If Pipe Llorens made a hit out of “Dame Un Besito,” and María y José finally percolated into Mexican radio with “Ultra,” Bill Yonson’s shot at an urban ballad should encounter a similar faith.

Joe Crepúsculo - "Carreras de Cabeza"

Joe Crepúsculo changes labels like he changes socks. It’s not a particularly bad thing. If anything, it reaffirms his status as Spain's indie's enfant terrible. The artist has announced the rise of his own label Ópalo Negro, where we totally expect him to fetichize and carve deeper into his obsessions. Crepúsculo's new single “Carreras de Cabeza” is already showing signs of that. The vocoder, the synth escalations, the funk ornaments and the witty silly lyrics sure speak of an artist working under absolute freedom. If Rebolledo afforded us all a midnight ride through cosmopolis in “Corvette Ninja,” Crepúsculo percolates us into the crowded, funk-chasing roads of his head. Not nearly as good or catchy as “Mi Fabrica de Baile,” but it’s an amusing transition single that attains to the abrasion of the Crepúsculo experience.

107 Faunos - "Cosas Caras Rotas"

Unless you’re Rodrigo Maceira (from Si No Puedo Bailar/Gente Que Viene) or Andres Murillo (Sr. Amable), chances are you have a love/hate relationship with 107 Faunos. Although we’ve never truly celebrated any of their releases, it’s one of the few bands to which we’ve cared enough to review their entire discography (107 Faunos, Creo Que Te Amo, El Tesoro Que Nadie Quiere). Talk about a cult band. The longitude of promise and signs of progress make us dig in and articulate on a band that seemed to have outgrown past subversive obsessions (minimal hooks, minimal timings, etc). Their newest single “Cosas caras rotas” off their forthcoming fourth record is a regression in concept and pop veracity from what was accomplished with career-best single “El Tigre de las Facultades.” Pretty damn difficult resisting tapping your foot during its short span though. A very personal, if not convincingly bold, sneak peak of what’s to come.

Las Robertas - "Marlene"

In 2010, Las Robertas released Cry Out Loud, an album that exemplified meticulous care of noise rock and dream fuzz. Hailing from Costa Rica, Las Robertas had a tenacious exposure not only in Latin-American realms of appreciation but entered Europe and United States realms as well, through labels such as Discos Fup and Art Fag, respectively. After what was taken as a fairly quiet hiatus, the band returns with the first single off their new album. On the contrary of what was alleged, the band was quietly working and building up to an exciting, almost effortless, entrance.

“Marlene” by Las Robertas is a distortion-bathed song that has a majestic introduction, immediately lovely. The high-energy on the drums is perfectly paired with a steady and catchy bassline along with the band’s hallmark of reverb-drenched guitars. The melodic whispers and relatively straightword pop is a distinctive feature the band has had in the past, and has once again proven they are completely masterful at executing. “Marlene” does not derail from previous work, yet their musical evolution is illustrated through the perfection of their sound.

MP3: Capullo - “No Pases Más Por Mí”

Some things change, some things stay the same. Lucky for us, Capullo’s comeback single indicates their preference for the latter. “No Pases Más Por Mí” is an almost by-the-numbers Capullo track: 4/4 beat, glitchy sound effects, pop signifiers (e.g. hand claps), and disinterested vocals. Not that this means the band doesn’t have the spark—if anything, it’s a logical next step from the underrated Testigos del Fin del Mundo. To think that Capullo can still make something that sounds so effervescent and yet effortless bodes well for their next album. But please: turn up the noise with the next single, guys. Download the MP3 of the track via Soundcloud.

Rey Pila - "Alexander"

My Fonograma colleague Blanca Méndez hit the nail on the head when foreshadowing that Rey Pila’s vastly overlooked debut would be one to revisit again and again, “if only to discover more of its subtleties with each listen.” Yet, in the last couple of years, it seemed like Rey Pila had lost momentum. Though quiet, the project has remained very active. Following the underrated success of the first release, Rey Pila toured extensively with the likes of Interpol, Muse, TV on the Radio, and Ariel Pink. In 2012, Diego Solórzano, alongside bandmates Rodrigo Blanco (Dirty Karma) and Andres Velasco (Chikita Violenta), moved to New York City to work on a sophomore release. With the help of producer Chris Coady (Beach House, Smith Westerns, Wavves), Rey Pila are putting the final touches to their second album, which they described as “a synth-laden, guitar-driven collection of pop gems.”

With cover art inspired by Halloween III, the band has unveiled “Alexander” as their new single. Momentum seems to be on their side again, as the band has officially signed to Cult Records (Julian Casablanca’s label). The single comes with B-side “Lady in Red,” a Chris de Burgh cover. “Alexander” seems to emerge from a place of solitude, where rhythm, timing, and arrangement are negotiated for a post-new wave, almost cinematic outcome. Diego and his band mates don’t shy away from ambition, and their trickery of the medium pays off as they create a number that’s equally exquisite as it is atmospheric.

MP3: Las Ligas Menores - “Renault Fuego”

It’s hard not to fervently root for the welfare of a band like Las Ligas Menores. From the band’s loopy name to their devotion to crafting lowbrow melodies, it would almost seem like they’re selling themselves short. Truth is, this up-and-coming band is conscious of the industry’s hierarchy and realize charm can take them a long way. Last year’s EP, El Disco Suplente, profiled the band as one of Argentina’s most promising newcomers. “Accidente” was a relative indie hit in Mexico’s alternative outlets, and they’re ready to give the project continuum. “Renault Fuego,” a step forward in their sound, is the first single off their self-titled debut album (to be released under Discos Laptra). In it vocalist Anabella Cartolano sings, “es que necesito decirte que en verdad me gustas." The new single sees the band pouring adolescent emotion in a simple verse-chorus-verse number that acknowledges the brevity of momentum. This time they leave behind the cache of bedroom hipness and expand into the road (an articulation that might just advanced them to transit in that league of Los Punsetes and Carmen Sandiego).

♫♫♫ "Renault Fuego" / Download Single (+bside "Tema 7") 

Mueran Humanos - "El Círculo"

Industrial music is too often perceived as intimidating when it should be embraced as one of the few genres that show awareness of the real, constantly tensed world we live in. If you find warmth in Mueran Humanos’ latest piece “El Círculo,” it doesn’t mean you’re a threat to society, on the contrary, it probably means you’re mindful and putting the mantra into context. Released as a 12’’ vinyl through UK’s Vanity Case, Mueran Humanos (Carmen Burguess and Tomás Nochteff) are quick to establish a menace: “no nos importa nada, creo que pronto vas a entenderlo.” The Argentine act is not implementing elite margins to its audience; that build up of techno progressions make it really obvious they want you to gear up and join them on a passage that will lead to the re-positioning of a socio-political hierarchy (“nacimos para caminar descalzos sobre las cabezas de los reyes.”) Side B of the maxi-single is a 20-minute survey (titled “La Langosta”) of deep textures and dulcet strolls that will reward those searching for a true spacious symphony.

Tego Calderón - "Colabore"

“Yo se que yo me tardo pero hecho caldo (y la receta siempre me tiene guisando),” sighs Tego Calderón in his thrilling new single, “Colabore.” It’s been almost six years since the rapper released El Abayarde Contraataca, and just when it seemed its follow up would turn into a mythological release, we get an official single off the long-anticipated El Que Sabe Sabe. While Calderón focused on social globalization on last year’s reggaeton-free mixtape, The Original Gallo del País (self-assesed by Tego as his most complete work yet), the single suggests his new album will bring him back to the clubs and FM airwaves. “Colabore” is another hit in Calderón’s strong line of singles. The song starts at a rapid-fire pace, coating itself with an old friend–a clean, almost nostalgic reggaeton beat that’s serviceable for both profit and pedigree. Trying to catch up with his flow is fun all in its self. El Que Sabe Sabe will see the commercial light in May.

MP3: Nina Sky - "Day Dreaming"

Everyone's favorite Queens-born female identical twin duo is back in action. Nina Sky were the vocalists on one of 2011's best left-field singles, CREEP's haunting and tense "You." Now they're back with "Day Dreaming," their comeback track supporting their upcoming album, Nicole & Natalie.

Judging from the single, it appears that Nina Sky has taken all of the compliments from their CREEP collaboration to heart. "Day Dreaming" is 200 seconds of cool and hushed harmonies, augmented by a light 2-step beat with the occasional *snap* tossed in for good measure. This song is pretty decent, but doesn't really capture the essence of "You," which was far more nuanced than the lite-R&B here. It's understandable for Nina Sky to feel trapped at a crossroads–go down the hip indie pop road or build off of their (retroactively critically approved) previous commercial success. Here's hoping they pick a road and own their decision–they're too good to fall by the wayside again.

♫♫♫ "Day Dreaming" | Facebook

Dávila 666 - "Pa Que Vives"

Dávila 666 were, hands down, the most popular kids in our yearbook. Puerto Rico Indie did a pretty good rundown (and interview) of their accomplishments last year: rave reviews from every relevant publication out there, an oblique presence in the music festival circuit, a Taco Bell commercial, and a Jack White-produced live album. We would add the fact that they were also responsible for the year’s indie rock hit across the Iberoamerican region. The uncouth, six-member band was so irresistible that even Hollywood actresses like Scarlett Johansen and Kristen Stewart were spotted shoegazing at Davila’s urgent, lubricated vein. Indeed, 2011 will be remembered as the year that witnessed the blossoming of Dávila 666 from a garage boricua band to a universally acclaimed force of nature.

As the band heads down to Mexico to play at Festival NRMAL in March, they have released a gorgeous, 600-unit 7’’ vinyl through Oops Baby Records. A Puerto Rican flag vinyl version of the disc sold out on pre-order. The front single “Pa Que Vives” and its B-side (“Sera Sera”) aren’t exactly new. Both songs were recorded in 2007 and are part of an ammunition of songs that lacked proper publishing. When we asked the band for the file of the single (for your streaming pleasure) they sent a .wma file, which pretty much tells you about the appraising of “Pa Que Vives” as a wax spinning experience (the main reason why I’m holding back on any critical annotations for now). In the meantime, the band is still prepping the recording of Que Viva El Veneno, the band’s forthcoming second album with In The Red Records.

MP3: Tony Gallardo II - "Líder Juvenil"

Ruidosón emperor María y José, responsible of our most anticipated album of 2012, has a new project under the artistic name Tony Gallardo II. Through social networks, he openly expressed his adoration for two of the best records of last year, Rebeldes (Alex Anwandter) and Super Vato (Rebolledo), and warned that both were the primary inspiration for this side project. Under this context, “Líder Juvenil,” the first single from his upcoming, self-released EP Líder Juvenil as Tony Gallardo II, is definitely the culmination of his obsession with those two albums and a departure–but not a drastic one– from his trademark María y José sound. Packed with Rebolledo-esque refined techno nuanced with Christian Heyne-like disco strings production and Gallardo’s distinct vocals, the not exactly optimistic, yet funky and hilarious “Líder Juvenil” is another delicious slice of genius from the extensively creative mind of Tony Gallardo.

♫♫♫ "Líder Juvenil"

MP3: Capullo - "Pretextos"

It seems that guitar-driven '90s revival acts won’t be the only popular tendency that transports us to that decade this year. Capullo’s new single, “Pretextos,” evokes the kind of dance pop that, mixed with subtle house elements, generated a great number of hits during that period. However, the track goes further into provocatively exploring this aesthetic, introducing us to a sparkling reinvention of that era that resembles acts like Jeans or Paradiso, accurately including parts with disco strings, which work deliciously and also remind us of our recent obsession with them.

Still in demo version, “Pretextos” is already one of Capullo’s most engrossing singles, one that invites the listener to let go and simply have a very good time. The group’s lyrics remain as amusing as ever; this time around, the song’s protagonist finds any excuse to avoid her kind of douchebag boyfriend who, with his “muchas mujeres,” considers her “un billete perdido en la inmensidad.” It’s a point in a couple’s journey (young characters in this case) where neither of the members will probably end up as good friends and also a heartrending realization about a relationship’s pathless course.

♫♫♫ "Pretextos"

Stream: Alex Anwandter - "Tatuaje"

Alex Anwandter’s soundscape under the moniker Odisea mingled the collapsing backdrop of Santiago de Chile and an individual’s blossoming amidst a mechanical institution. While fantastically crafted and executed, we all recognized it as the artist’s inevitable rhythmic confrontation with Santiago’s urban environments and cultural infrastructures. One of the prime elements in Odisea was moving away from writing songs about love, and that was reflected in the album’s disquieting, almost aggressive lexicon. For his forthcoming album, Rebeldes, Anwandter is putting Odisea on hiatus and, in the process, making a fascinating comeback to pop form. This is, of course, Anwandter’s second reincarnation as a first class recording artist and performer. After Teleradio Donoso’s departure a few years ago, we hinted that Anwandter could go on to become one of the great male pop stars of our generation, and his new venture is a solid step toward that prediction.

“Tatuaje” is the first single off Rebeldes and Anwandter’s return to heart-on-your-sleeve songwriting. In this song, the Chilean pop visionary reconditions his past as a sort of explicit capsule, moving forward under the warmth of a four-minute song that marches its pulse under a stripped-down sense of pop songcraft. The image of ink carving beyond the human skin reveals Anwandter as a dreamer and a romantic. Under the celestial production arms of Cristian Heyne, “Tatuaje” is so cleansing, fetching, and stirringly-tailored, that it’s, ultimately, Anwandter’s most cultivating shot at newfound freedom. “Eres perfecto, pon tu mano en mi pelo y conecta el sentimiento,” sighs Anwandter in a devoted voice that later turns into a whisper as he anticipates the tragic yet healing act of saying good-bye to a once magical neon kingdom between two people in love.

Stream: Olga - "Hacer Pie"

Hold yourself for one of the most beautiful pop numbers you’ll probably get to hear this year. Olga is an electroacoustic duo from Buenos Aires with a swirling electronic canvas and a soft spot for the melodramatic song. Following their successful 2007 debut, Flora y Fauna, Flor Zavadivker and Roger Delahaye are once again on of the verge of flickering success with their phenomenal new single “Hacer Pie.” Before reducing my excitement to a passing introspective blurb, allow me to add this band to the group of people who care about the structure of a song as much as its soundscape (think Javiera Mena and Dënver).

“It’s best you ensure your walk, the pool is so full you won’t resist the temptation of throwing yourself.” This temptation motif is utilized throughout the song with tremendous lyrical grace and reflective surfacing. The track enters with a courteous gothic vehemence on emotional sanity and quickly marches toward progression through wispy ambiance and melodic submission. It’s also catchy as hell. “Hacer Pie” is Olga’s first single off their forthcoming sophomore album, Gracias Tonales. If this single is any indication, we should be getting ready for a beguiling album full of conflicting synths, acoustic flirtations, and quasar nihilism.

New Single: Matias Aguayo - "I Don't Smoke"

Wheeeeeeeee!!!! OK, perhaps that was not the most professional opening sentence in Club Fonograma history, but it's new Aguayo single time and I'm PSYCHED! Coming off of his triumphant (and Destacado-worthy) second album, the Chilean-born, German-representin' DJ decides to take a more irreverent route with "I Don't Smoke," the single for his latest EP, out on Kompakt next week.

While the track doesn't really sound anything like the poly-rhythmic head trip that was Ay Ay Ay, that doesn't mean that there's anything about this that's rote in any fashion. Over the course of seven-plus minutes, the track builds from a minimal keyboard ditty into a funky, almost caribe conga beat. While the lyrical content is likely a decisive point of contention, this is certainly more fun that many techno tracks that try to go the humorous route--and certainly much more enjoyable than that Battles duet that was the aural equivalent of painting a house a thousand different colors until it ended up looking brown. While his protege Rebolledo may be getting more buzz in our little end of the world, Aguayo's latest shows that he's still got the touch.

New Single: Austin TV - "El Hombre Pánico"

The always divisive Austin TV kept thousands of fans up very late last night as they unveiled their highly anticipated new single “El Hombre Pánico.” This is the first promotional cut off the band’s third full-length album titled Caballeros del Albedrio. According to the band, it will be a double album consisting of 16 tracks and, since this is Austin TV we're talking about, probably a luxury package as well. After the groundbreaking critical and commercial success of Fontana Bella (Terricolas Imbeciles, 2007), the masked kids have decided to follow up with a conceptual math rock album, guided once again by Emmanuel del Real’s top-notch production.

At just two minutes long, “El Hombre Pánico” doesn’t reveal much of how the actual album will sound like (nor the quality of it), but it works as an appetizer for their impatient hardcore fans. For those of us not fully invested in the band’s landscapes, “El Hombre Pánico” can be quite forgettable; its artillery is powerful, but its emotional spectrum is hard to read. They might be an instrumental band, but the fans have constructed their own verses to sing along during their gigs, so when that “uno-dos-tres-cuatro!” verse shows up, it’s like Austin TV acknowledging that precious artist-fan disposition.

MP3: Balún - "El Medio Contenido"

Written on the contrasting landscapes of Brooklyn and Paris during a summer, Balún has just released a delightful dreamy-pop treat with French electronic label BEKO DSL. “El Medio Contenido” is a swirling mélange of sounds and space finding their rhythm; by far, one of the band’s most astral & mystique pieces yet. While most of Balun’s songs tend to throb in the air (especially the instrumental pieces), here Angelica’s soft-spoken vocals punctuate, and lead us to the middle sections of a captivating song that happens to be perfectly titled as well. “El Medio Contenido” folds and extends with baffling ease and beauty, something truly impressive from a group that still shoegazes on ambient platforms.

The single is available for download via the label’s website, and it comes with the instrumental (and very Italo-renaissance) bside “Catorce.” This is the last slice we’ll get from Balún until the release of their much anticipated new full-length.

Download Single + Bside

Stream: Pegasvs - "Atlántico"

A few months ago we fell in absolute love with Pegasvs' "La Melodia del Afilador", a mysterious band by ‘Sergio y Luciana’ whose sharp, cutting-edge approach to rock&roll had as brainstorming them as part of the new ‘Spanish Rock Flair.’ The band’s profile is still pretty much in the dark, but a new song has unveiled a few hints of where the band is headed, and we’re excited. First, we’re just happy they’ve finished a second song, a good sign of the band’s solidification. We also learn half of Pegasvs is actually Sergio Perez, an interesting character in Spain’s indie, mainly as the head of Thelematicos (whose debut album we weren’t too enthusiastic about). The new track “Atlántico” isn’t as poignantly catchy or jagged as their first track, but it carves further into your skin using it as a map to some kind of hazy to-the-core experience.