By the Zonagirante.com Team @spinning zone
Yes, we know, we are still in 2020, for many the worst year that humanity has experienced in a long time. All the epithets you want to use to describe this moment are appropriate and, at the same time, superfluous, because we have already used them all, every day. But, amidst the despair, our constant mood swings, the bad news inside and outside the home, and the new fears we've adopted over these past months, still, We have allowed ourselves the luxury of paying attention to new music from this side of the world And, to be honest, it's been enough to create a great soundtrack, compiled to help us overcome our bitterness in the most dramatic moments. Yes, We have 20 songs, 20 great recordings released in 2020, that verify and prove that, amidst the emotional destitution that shakes us in Latin America, there is no way to prevent brilliant talent from flourishing and giving us the best excuses for survival.
We chose 20 tunes, and it could easily have been 50 or 100. A larger number, but we decided to be strict (Spartan, as an Argentinian friend once called us) and stick to the goal set at the beginning of the year. After finishing the selection, we realized several things:
-We selected contemporary-sounding tracks, made with a daring spirit, seeking to imprint themselves on our memory, Without getting caught up in the need to please this or that trendy programmer. Rather, aiming to slap the so-called experts of the moment in the face and shake things up. There are already too many musicians repeating the same thing and believing that's how you get far. Only those who are different have a chance to move forward, and if they don't succeed, it doesn't matter: It is preferable to have stubbornness as your religion than resignation.
-We've been saying this for a while now (and that doesn't make us geniuses): The most interesting things in music these days are coming from the feminine side of life. Of the two dozen productions we chose, 16 have total female leadership. It is his voice, his breath, his sense of life, that prevails in these recordings, And it is there, in these times, that the vanguard resides, the guiding banner, the fearlessness. They have everything to tell us, to sing to us, to shout to us. Musical genres prevent us from falling into lethargy. when women step forward and rewrite the rules of the game.
-Some will tell us that some of these songs weren't played on the main media outlets in the hemisphere, that they're only known in their neighborhood and a few blocks away. Don't exaggerate. That said: At Zonagirante.com we enjoy exploring different paths, and that's why we occasionally stumble upon incredible gems in alternative spaces., These are the things that others, full of pride, ignore because they aren't referred by this or that businessperson. And, unlike the lifelong jealous types, we're thrilled when these brilliant gems reach the ears of millions and become mainstream. Good music is meant to be heard by as many people as possible. Let's put it this way: We hope that the million-dollar figures of Maluma, J Balvin, or Bad Bunny will soon be available for proposals like the ones we have gathered on this occasion. The world needs a better soundtrack every day.
What sounds define this playlist? Who is included on this list?
We have music from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. If we go by the circulating labels, we would say that here are recent expressions of Hip Hop, Pop, Folk, Blues, Calypso, Pop, Rock, electronic musical constructions and folk fusions. This is the order: We start with a woman we love more every day for her sense of celebration and rebellion: She is Child God, From Monterrey. Then, from Lima, we receive a tremendously sensual moment, with some of the texts that best describe what was experienced in quarantine: Lorena Blume. Rarely has euphoria had such a seductive magnet as that proposed by the Puerto Rican. Eduardo Cabra. Perhaps it is a one hit wonder, But every time we put this song on the stereo, we feel like dancing like never before: From Bogotá, Oh Margo. Next, the most boisterous atmosphere comes from Montevideo and goes by the name of Martín Buscaglia. Then, from Toronto, Canada, but truly with the sand of his native Guajira Peninsula seasoning his art, the precise redefinition of the traditional music of the Atlantic Ocean, Lido Pimienta.
Next, from the island of Providencia, representing the tranquil Caribbean beauty, Elkin Robinson. Then, from Mexico, an exquisite electropop creation by Maena. And that's when our favorite traveling couple comes in, a Chilean and an Argentinian who have single-handedly played halfway around the world and are giving the rest of the planet a heads-up for when the pandemic is over: Infinite Ice Cream. And then comes a production made for the conscience of the world and with a sensitivity worthy of touching the heart, all of it made by Maiguai. Then, the immeasurable tenderness of Sweet and Sour. From Ecuador, Lolabúm and his compatriot Neoma They present a tune that seems made to be sung three centimeters from the ear to combat indifference and warm the body. That's when it comes in. The Fox Zapata, And with just a few instrumental elements at hand, he holds us captive and hypnotizes us.
This is when the segment begins where the brave resonance asks for its turn and assumes its risks. The Girl, A Venezuelan woman living in Paris, with piano, handclaps, and her powerful voice, takes the stage and captivates the audience. Then we cross the sea and arrive where Rita Indiana, who has taken the most popular rhythms of his country and transformed them into ingenious mastery. We go down to Peru and find Ati Lane and her beautiful appropriation of the blues. We continue our journey south and encounter a frequent guest on our lists, Fran Straube and her project Blond, with a tune that opens new and daring doors for the infinite pleasure of his fans.
The playlist ends with 3 moments that showcase new ways of understanding pop rock in our times: Malú Mora, Using appropriate electronic textures, he presents us with a powerful anthem against gender violence. Then Girl X It proposes that we shed our old inhibitions and join in the unbridled passion of desire. And finally, almost perfectly capturing the chaos we feel in our bodies and on our streets, it bids farewell. Pommez International, simulating the worst congestion experienced during these hours.
In short, these are the 20 Latin songs that we have liked the most this year. We hope you enjoy our selection and share it with as many friends as possible. The artists mentioned here deserve it. His music is worthy of being celebrated and of being used and played at high volume to combat the bastardry that has engulfed us. Press play and enjoy. Now's the time for our party.
