Whitest Taino Alive - ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Cueros?

¿Dónde Jugarán Los Cueros?, 
Whitest Taino Alive
Stereotipico, Dominican Republic
Rating: 88
by Carlos Reyes

Trying to locate the zeitgeist becomes a priority to the tastemaker. While it’s true the Internet brought fragmentation to the way we listen to music –and that the zeitgeist can be found scattered at a dozen places at once –there’s still a place for those of us romantic enough to theorize over the notion of the it occupying a physical space. Not to call ourselves oracles of any kind, but we were very attentive to the blossoming of the new wave of Chilean pop before anyone dared to call Chile a pop paradise. In the last year we’ve responded ecstatically to emerging talents from the Caribbean, particularly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Perhaps we’re cheating when bundling both nations together (a la FIFA 2002 worldcup), but both scenes are sharing a discourse of carnal and digital burgeonings that is beautiful to witness.

Dominican newcomers Whitest Taino Alive join Füete Billēte and Buscabulla as one of the most memorable emerging acts of the last few years. Led by the equally prolific and abrasive producer Cohoba, and branding on the idea of providing the audience with something they call Choperia Fina (rocking beats while wearing leather), WTA afford to sound truly colossal on their debut album. Featuring a grand-sound design and an ambitious composition, ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Cueros? is an album that sounds nothing short from pristine (and puts the latest Calle 13 to an even bigger shame). We wouldn’t expect anything less from Cohoba, whose stellar EP Chroamatism earlier this year has profiled him as the Dominican Republic’s most distinguished music maker since Rita Indiana. For a producer with a fondness for rapture and visceral banging, he is faced with the task of negotiating his beats for the vocal dissertation of WTA (conformed by Cohoba, Blon Jovi & Dominicanye West). The results are valiantly tackled and arresting for the most part.

WTA pop references a wide number of topics that go from Sosa, Heisenberg and Lara, to celebrating Selena’s butt as a cultural monument. While the abrasiveness of the lyrics makes it seem like they’re name-dropping indiscriminately, they’re actually using pop culture as a tool/hook to welcome non-Dominicanos to their idiosyncrasy. Take for example the album’s concept. The title ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Cueros? winks at Molotov’s ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas?, which itself mocks on Mana’s ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? This chain of smartass referencing would’ve been tiresome by the third time, if it wasn’t for the album cover (showing a thong sliding hasta abajo) validating WTA’s intentions of providing a lubricant to the Dominican way upfront. Which begs the question on how WTA, or Füete Billēte for the matter, would sound if reggaeton had not become the phenomenon that it still is. We might be talking about hip hop music here, but the reggaeton influence can be felt from a far distance. It’s in this way that WTA’s debut feels personally accomplished, but is also a cooperative from the pool of influences that brought it into being.

From the first immersive brashes of intro “Chillin en Jaragua” to the syncopated horns of the gigantic “En Canoa Pal Seibo,” the first half of ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Cueros? privileges the spellbinding over the immediate. Promotional cuts “Burlao” and “Mi Bandera” are two ideal tracks to taste the WTA experience. The former surfs slowly above synth crescendos, while the latter confronts the soundscape in a massive and unapologetic way. The second half of the album lacks fury on the chorus department, but somehow manages to sound even more melodic than the first half. The outstanding “La Resaca” is particularly exciting in how it tailors and manipulates beats to simulate the feeling of feeling hangover –with a narcotized voice of reason serving as a chorus. Lyrically, the album delivers plenty of hilarious one-liners, but frequently struggles to accomplish roundness in the storytelling. The narrative is still wonderfully uncompromised in both, their outburst and restrained lines of attack. And that’s perhaps WTA’s biggest attraction, its ability to position itself as understated text and then become a major threat to the dancefloor by the very next track.

Carmen Cosmos - "Luces"

Our compilations aren’t exclusively made out of entries the artists send us (near 300 tracks for our latest one). Much of the magic and fun of curating such a thing is to hunt for virtually unknown music, from virtually unknown indie scenes. “The great revelation from the new compilation is the Dominican Republic, by far,” tweeted Miguel Franco (from the now vanished blog, Noche Pasta). I can’t remember the right combination of clicks I did to get to Carmen Cosmos (one of three Dominican acts on Papasquiaro). Nothing on her soundcloud profile was instantly gratifying, but there was a certain tropical warmthness to her music that reminded me that time I came across Rita Indiana’s “La Sofi.”

Serving an interlude/transitional role for the compilation (like the track by Gepe), “Luces” plays like a fast bullet that equalizes the canvas for whatever it’s ahead. But it's more than an interlude. The imagery of the song is as beautiful as it is brutal. Carmen exclaims over dreamy beats about a Chinese man whose guts turn into water after falling into a pit, and how about she would rather be poked with a fork than with a knife. Seriously, you need that tropical warmthness (without falling into the stereotype) to execute the construction of these images with such a pulsating voice and melodic timing. Recorded very improperly (for headphones), I sent the demo of the track to Bill Yonson, who I thought would do a fine job mastering the track and understanding Carmen Cosmos’ sensibility. In my mind, she is that “Chola” he sings about later in Papasquiaro. They now inform me they’re actually making music together, of course putting a smile on me from ear to ear.

Las Acevedo - Fiesta en la Vitrola

Fiesta en la Vitrola, Las Acevedo
Independent, Dominican Republic
Rating: 73
by Monika Fabian

Even with 2014 within sights, I keep returning to June’s Fiesta en la Vitrola EP by Las Acevedo. It’s the Dominican twin sisters and bandmates’ most mature release yet and easily one of my favorite EPs of the year. Anabel and Cristabel Acevedo seem to be doing whatever they want in Santiago, however they want—handling everything from composition to mastering—and having a blast with all of it. As aural enjoyment, their combination of sweet, two-part harmonies and sunny folk-pop on Fiesta en la Vitrola is absolutely inviting and rewarding.

“Una Sola Canción” is a gem made from cascading lyrics, gentle percussion, and layered guitar and ukelele strums. But beneath that cheery warmth, for the first time, there’s an almost literary sense of metaphor and nuance to Las Acevedo’s music. “Estas flores no son para ti,” they sing in the chorus of “Flores,” the EP opener about a man who wrongly thinks he’s the object of the singer’s affection. Assuming the song’s protagonist is female, a more feminist reading suggests she’s rejecting the male gaze and her implicit interest/role in it.

“Casa,” a gentle bachata ode to tranquil music-making at home feels wonderfully feminine in this male-dominated musical genre—even subversively so. The guitar at the heart of this ditty (and bachata itself) is female, since “guitarra” in Spanish is feminine. The gorgeous bachata is also Quisqueyan pop at its finest. “Casa” is at home in pop culture and cultura popular much in the same way as Rita Indiana’s “Da Pa Lo Do” and Juan Luis Guerra’s “Ojala Que Llueva Café.” And then the party’s over after the flirty “Tú Sí Me Quieres.” The longest song on the four-track Fiesta en la Vitrola EP clocks in at just under three minutes. I’m torn about the brevity of Las Acevedo’s latest. I want to hear more, which is a good thing, but then again, there’s genius to subtlety and simplicity. Las Acevedo might just be teaching us that.

Me Derrito Por Ti (Un Compilado De Amor)

It’s fairly obvious that we have a soft spot for Las Acevedo, but now, we have this insatiable sweet tooth for their latest baked curation, Me Derrito Por Ti ("Un Compilado De Amor”). A couple of months ago, the Dominican twins did a call for a Valentine's Day compilation, and a handful of acts showed up. Feast your ears on a lovely melodic assemblage by Latin American indie bands, including new treats from Fonograma favorites Lucila Ines, Adrian Juarez, and El Medio. We are also hand-delivered Valentine Day’s cards from familiar voices, Loocila (of Jovenes y Sexys) and Juan Manuel Torreblanca, both finding this a good opportunity to showcase solo efforts. Thanks again to Las Acevedo for being so generous with their friends and their good vibes. Much love. Stream the compilation below, and download it HERE.

Video + MP3: Maluca x The Partysquad - "Lola"

Self-declared Dominican Princess, Maluca, is finally pulling her claws out publishing her first proper release, Massive Pow Pow EP. In the last couple of years, the Mad Decent sensation has built an enviable reputation as a performer, earning broadcast success with “El Tigeraso,” and keeping gaudy momentum with last year’s sensational China Food Mixtape. In collaboration with Amsterdam-based duo The Partysquad, the Merengue-electrified rebel has unveiled a video for the undeniably catchy single “Lola.” The track is a club banger with the vehemence of a third-world political agenda and a structure as round as Jessy Bulbo’s ever-rolling “Comal.”



Helmed by Bijoux Altamirano and stylized by Jason Farrer, the video glorifies the GeoCities and MySpace glitter era and prevents the end of the summer exploiting the 1-800-hot-call ads that invade every free-to-affordable publication out there. Not only is the video jammed with pop culture references, but it's almost as socially intricate as any scene in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. Massive Pow Pow is not the emblematic debut full-length we've all been waiting for, but it’s Maluca’s first real step in becoming a self-sustainable recording artist. We're also wondering if this will be the album in which she unveils a cover of Gloria Trevi’s “Hoy Me Ire De Casa” featuring L.A.-based NGUZUNGUZU and lauded by everyone (who has heard it live) as “EPIC.”

♫♫♫ "Lola" (Radio Edit) | Facebook

Video + MP3: Sosua - "La Leona"

It’s virtually ready, but today is the last day we’ll be considering tracks for our latest compilation Nuevo Ideal (out on Sunday). With nearly 400 track submissions up for consideration (from those sent by the artists), we’ve left out at least a dozen of songs that would have made it into earlier compilations easily. Among all of those good tracks we’ve left behind is Sosua’s “La Leona” (off debut album En Calor; it might not be the best in the bunch, but among the most memorable. Sosua is sort of pop culture theatrical project from the Dominican Republic. Working with predominant sexual context, Sosua is actually the project of two brothers with both, a sense of humor and a scuzzy music palate. While Sosua might not be the ideal pop idol we’ve been waiting for, “La Leona” is beyond appealing. This track took us back to those first demos by Rita Indiana (during her ‘Casifull’ era), and they sure have fun making a blasting ‘tiraea’ to our beloved Shakira on this one (they also have their own version of Britney's "Womanizer" titled "Mujeriego"). As an ironic note, one of the guys behind Sosua happens to be our selected artist for Nuevo Ideal’s artwork.

♫♫♫ "La Leona"
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Stream: Las Acevedo - "El Reloj de Arena"

Las Acevedo have spread their charming music throughout the Dominican Republic, quickly becoming ‘the’ band to follow. They’re quickly extending their fresh, quirky and warm-hearted songs outside the island, getting particular attention in Mexico, Spain, Japan and the states. The extremely young duo is still developing a sound; we’re witnessing their creative process from scratch. Their brand new song “Reloj de Arena” is promising to say the least. Without making too many steps at once, they have found a way to shape a good adolescent picnic-pop song with lyrics and instruments they feel very comfortable with. “Reloj de Arena” will be included in the duo’s debut EP The Weather Smells Like Organges, to be released next month. The EP will also include the ClubFonograma-approved “Chaka Chaka” and title track.

MP3: Eddy Núñez - "Agua"

Eddy Núñez is one of the guys from “y los Misterios”, the energetic and ridiculously cool group of musicians that comprise Rita Indiana’s project. The Dominican sensation is about to drop their debut El Juidero next month, but Eddy is already thinking ahead starting his very dissimilar solo project. He just sent us his first demo recording “Agua”, an obscure little gem condensing minimal sparkling electro with Dominican folklore, “una gota de aire y una gota de agua.” Despite its well-kept gestures (a lo Robi Draco Rosa) it’s so meticulously dark it’s almost psychedelic. It's nowhere near the complexity of any of Rita Indiana's songs, but it's nice to see a lonesome layer of what makes the 'y Los Misterios' hybrid so interesting.

Maluca - China Food Mixtape

This morning we woke up to Mad Decent’s most recent release, one we’ve been salivating for too long. We’ve been pumping Maluca’s China Food Mixtape all day long. She sounds crazy, evil and damn sexy. It’s not the official debut LP everyone is wishing for, but after a year and a half of nonstop attention solely for her hit “El Tigeraso”, we finally get to hear more. Mad Decent describes this as “a biographical trilogy (Past, Present and Future), if you will, of her musical influences and own music.” While we weren’t expecting this mixtape, we would have hoped for her to include that Gloria Trevi cover so many people talked about on her Mexico City shows. Pay close attention to “Jungle Violento”, “Loca” and of course, the title track. To be reviewed in depth soon. Download Mixtape HERE.

Alex Ferreira Covers Rita Indiana's "El Blu del Ping Pong"

“El Blu del Ping Pong” is Rita Indiana’s most popular song in the Dominican Republic, it’s special to us as it was the first (y Los Misterios) song Rita Indiana sent us to see if we would consider it for one of our compilations, as you know, we all fell in love with the project since. Fellow Dominican singer-songwriter Alex Ferreira has come with a nice and slower version of the song, adapting it to his melodic attributes (and lovely voice), holding on to the song’s tasteful raw essence, “este corazon hace ping pong pong.”

Featured: Las Acevedo – “Chaka Chaka”

Feature: Las Acevedo – “Chaka Chaka”
Unsigned, Dominican Republic

Las Acevedo is the project Anabel Acevedo and Cristabel Acevedo, two gorgeous sisters from the Dominican Republic making fun, unsuspected and unrestrained music. With only a couple of months of the duo’s formation as a band, the young duo are already starting to create huge buzz on the island, where they have built an audience for their simple and whimsical songs. It’s always exciting to find projects that seem to pop up out of nowhere, that’s part of the charm of Las Acevedo, who by region, would fit into the Dominican Alternative scene (if there is one), next to artists like Rita Indiana (who they say to be huge fans) or even singer-songwriters like Juango Davalos and Alex Ferreira. Las Acevedo are fairly distinct to their peers, that adolescent and picnic-ready characteristics should be enough for hopes of internalization.

The duo started the project composing and singing in English, something common all across Latin America with Indie-Folk-Pop bands. They recorded some very pleasant demos like “The Weather Smells Like Oranges” (from Fonogramaticos Vol.8), a song as wonderfully naïve as it is catchy. But just like Mexico’s Hey Chica! or Venezuela’s Jovenes y Sexys, they have realized sweet melodies are also achievable in the Spanish language. Their latest song and now official first single “Chaka Chaka” it’s by far, their finest moment yet; from the calming and well adjusted harmless lyrics, to the generous blend of pop and tropical layers, this sure seems like a solid starting point for the Acevedo sisters.

♫♫♫ "Chaka Chaka"
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Rita Indiana y Los Misterios - “Dime a vel, Mambo Navideño”

The much awaited first LP from Rita Indiana y Los Misterios was supposed to be released this month, but as of now, it’s highly unlikely it will be finished on time. She’s on fire and she’s got the Dominican Republic on fire, we’ve seen her fame grow very quick, but didn’t expect her to get a national idol status prior to her album’s release. Last time we spoke to her she mentioned she is also working on an EP for Dutty Artz, which is produced by the prolific and critic’s darling DJ Rupture. In case you missed it, she grabbed two spots on our decade’s countdown (“La Sofi” and “La Hora de Volve”), it’s only natural for us to keep her momentum. Christmas time is here and with the a little help from Vakero, Juliana and Daniel Santacruz, she’s releasing “Dime a vel, Mambo Navideño” as a free download through her website. It’s their most comprehensible (standard) moment yet, but nevertheless, engaging and entertaining.

♫♫♫ “Dime a vel, Mambo Navideño” (grab it here)

Feature: Pacha Massive - "If You Want It" (Ga Ga Tech Mix) feat. Rita Indiana

New York's Pacha Massive was the first act to get a boost from MTV Tr3s’s Descubre & Download featuring their hit “Don’t Let Go”. The band might have lost one of its members, but Dominican-born Nava is keeping it up releasing a sophomore album. First single “If You Want It” is the clear standout, it’s got the flow factor and it’s bouncy enough to be seductive. “Sabes que tengo what you looking for, y de donde vengo everybody flows, than we get down low right down to the floor.” I love those spiral songs, especially when they’re as intensified as this one. The single is good enough, but we’re featuring this hot Ga Ga Tech remix by fellow Dominican and Fonograma favorite Rita Indiana. "El Caribe con anzuelo, y me lo llevo porque puedo!"

♫♫♫ "If You Want It" (Ga Ga Tech Mix) feat. Rita Indiana

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Video: Rita Indiana y Los Misterios - "La Hora de Volve"

Rita Indiana's visual style is as amazingly crafted as her music, by now "La Hora de Volve" is reaching the 15,000 downloads here at Club Fonograma, making it the third most popular song just after the Julieta Venegas's "Bestia" remix and Rita Indiana's "La Sofi." I think by now we can save words and let the music speak for itself, here is a great video (with great costumes, creatures and patterns) for one of the songs of the year (and the decade).

Un Niño Antiguo, Juango Dávalos

Juango Dávalos’s “De Verdad” brought us our Fonogramaticos Vol.5 theme: “Te Quiero Ver Bailar.” It was love at first sight; the song is so classy it can barely restrain its dim melancholy. “Yo quiero vivir de verdad, te quiero ver bailar, yo quiero sentir, de verdad, lo lindo que es amar.” Just like Chile’s Pedropiedra or Teleradio Donoso, this young Dominican singer-songwriter belts traditional popular music as it critiques it. Not to say Davalos doesn’t sound contemporary, his composition just retains a glossy template of those gigantic ballads our parents grew up listening to. This confection and deeply emotional approach makes songs not only aspire for the transcendental, they’re thinking ageless.

As expected, Dávalos’s sophomore album Un Niño Antiguo (fitting title) has some other solid tracks; for those who like Adanowsky or Gustavo Cerati, this is a must. They go from the sexy/cabaretesque “Cancion a las Mujeres” and “La Muchacha Ideal” to the avant-garde pieces “La Vida Sobre Un Árbol” and “Tu Versus Yo.” There’s also a gorgeous texture surrounding “Los Discos Daban Vueltas” (features Alex Ferreira on vocals), circular rococo anyone? Considering Santo Domingo ranks as our third most popular city on page hits (behind Austin and Mexico City), I think you’re going to like this: we’re giving free wings to Un Niño Antiguo, it’s here for you to download on its entirely.

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Rita Indiana y Los Misterios - "Jardinera"

Pretty much by now you can tell we’re heads over heels for Rita Indiana y Los Misterios; it’s such a huge statement but it’s the best contemporary act to come out of la Republica Dominicana and we’re here to witness it! It’s still pretty hard to put a tag on their music, some say it’s Merengue Alternativo while one of my friends from Slant Magazine says it’s “Latin America’s funky answer to Animal Collective” (What? Wait, Maybe?) I feel it’s more of vernacular music sliced up by a scope of unprecedented pop. This is dance music, roots music, pop, folk, everything pointing to a contextual direction which I’m guessing comes from Rita’s brilliant works as a novelist. I particularly find literal links to her music in her first novel titled La Estrategia de Chochueca, which believe me, it's going cult and it’s sublime. These songs are really an extension of her poetry, but most importantly, they sound great.

And yes, we got another song for you. “Jardinera” is about seeds and rights, about the joy of this practice in all kinds of connotations; the song is a chant for campesino support, and also an arousing sexual piece that reminded us of Andrea Echeverri, perhaps even more pedestrian in its sensitivity towards sexual choice and motherhood. Remember to download some other songs featured on our Fonogramaticos Vol.3 (“La Sofi”), Fonogramaticos Vol.4 (“El Blu del Ping Pong”) and you should not forget “La Hora de Volve” which again, it’s one of the greatest songs I've heard in a while.

♫♫♫ "Jardinera"
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Featured: "La Hora de Volve", Rita Indiana y Los Misterios

Get ready for this one; it’s probably my second favorite song of the year and that’s after about 100 continuous spins I’ve given the track since I got it. At this point the debut release of Rita Indiana y Los Misterios anticipates the start of an extraordinary act, instantly infectious and fantastically contextual to the Dominican Republic and its worldview. “La Hora de Volve” articulates a border-crossing spirit that impatiently waits to come back to its place of origin; sonically it’s audacious and weaves its drums with its futuristic synthesized keys. Even with such complex structure, the track is surprisingly accessible; it’s the story of almost any immigrant that starts packaging its return the second day he/she arrives to its new surroundings.

For those of us who are immigrants or are around them (particularly if they’re older), you’ve seen them keep things for when they go back, taking the most insignificant thing because they know it would make someone back home happy. It discusses the deceptive dream/myth as a form of dance, “cuando puede estar bailando algo mejor”, and it does it in an authentic shout that doesn’t fall into over-sentimental rooted music. Instead, it works its narrative with a sense of humor, letting the music debate the drama on its own. “Te llego la hora de volve, todos vuelven a la tierra en que nacieron, al embrujo inconfundible de su sol, y quien quiere estar comiendo mierda de hielo cuando puede estar bailando algo mejor.”

♫♫♫ "La Hora de Volve"

"De Verdad", Juango Davalos

We seem to have a very cool base of followers from the Dominican Republic, mostly living in New York and they’re spreading the word to their friends, we feel the love! One of them, Dr. Lacxos sent me an album by Juango Davalos, who I’ve heard of once from Harold Martinez, but never got to listen to what seems to be one of the most interesting artists from that country. I can tell he’s highly influenced by Gustavo Cerati, in big part because of the shadowy entrepreneur charisma portrayed in his songs, honestly I haven’t fully processed his album Un Niño Antiguo, but I can hardly control myself over how much I love “De Verdad”, it’s one of those modern tracks that still fit into what people called “Cancion Latinoamericana”, a nostalgic sound that has been revived by Chilean pop in the last few years, from Teleradio Donoso to Manuel Garcia, and it sounds like Adanowsky too.

♫♫♫ "De Verdad"

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"El Tigeraso" - Maluca (Latest Mad Decent addition)

A friend I got from the Mad Decent family wanted to slap me for not knowing who Maluca was, their latest acquisition, and boy is he right, she is the bomb. Remezcla raved her performance at SXSW and she’s quickly getting the attention (unlike the awesome but still undiscovered Plastic Caramelo). Not only is she the freshest upcoming sensation, her funky and quirky personality will make any Latino out there proud. Her Dominican Republic roots are felt through her first official single “El Tigeraso” (produced by Diplo). The music is up there, it’s like Santogold with sexier vibes and very tropical, bring that merengue back! makes us very excited, and who knows, along with the upcoming Toy Selectah production, these two might just pull upfront for the reggaeton>neo-cumbia shift we are all expecting to occur in the upcoming months. Another tune I like way too much to not be inducted into our cheap and uncreative videos we got on YouTube.

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