By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
And in the end, some musician friends scattered throughout the continent were encouraged to answer about their favorite album of the year in the region. And in many cases their answers surprised us and led us to discover recordings we were unaware of. And that, from their comments, we began to celebrate. They reminded us that the important thing, when summarizing, is not to equate opinions or, on the contrary, to argue about differences in taste, but rather to have the opportunity to confirm, through the diversity of expressions, how broad and favorable the current musical scene in Latin America is these days. Of course, some also agreed on a title (you'll see), and, frankly, given the quality of the chosen production, it didn't surprise us. You'll see it at the end of the article.
Meanwhile, here are the answers:
Fede Kempff (City of Willows - Argentina)
Album of the Year: Battleship Potemkin – River lips"It's an album marked by moments of melancholy, accompanied by a powerful sound. Juan Pablo has a very expressive way of singing, and combined with the lyrics and the exquisite work of Lulo on drums and Fede on bass, in addition to Juan's guitars, it's emotional..."“
Martín Solana (They talk behind your back. – Uruguay)
Album of the Year: The New Believers – The Blessed Sound of the New Believers"Garage, Punk, Psychedelia, great songs, good lyrics, tremendous production and sound quality. Hits from the Uruguayan underground, a religion that gains new followers every day!"“
Jorge Undurraga – (Soldier - Chili)
Album of the Year: Tsunamis – Trans Express Sudamericane "An album that reflects the maturity of a band characterized by garage, raw and unpolished rock, which this time is filled with layers, nuances and atmospheres to offer something much more sophisticated, but which does not lose its essence.".
Martin M (Chili)
Album of the Year: Amanitas – Imperial celestial love "An excellent blend of pop, rock, and psychedelia that avoids the overused formula of copying Tame Impala, a tactic employed by so many other bands. Solid drums and bass, accompanied by keyboards reminiscent of the 70s while remaining contemporary, and a sweet voice to top it all off. This album speaks of a band that only knows how to keep growing.".
Juan Pablo Patiño (Blast55 - Colombia)
Album of the Year: LosPetitFellas – Ways to Get Lost or IDEAS“I like the trajectory this band has had, as well as the way they have managed to consolidate their sound; their sound is powerful and the harmonies are pleasing. What I like most about their music is the way they construct the lyrics, as well as the clarity of the different interpretations.”.
Waldemar Coria (The Boys of the Sect - Argentina)
Album of the Year: Forgot – The mad silence"I listened to them a lot this year, it's punk with a dirty voice. They play badly but they sound good, they're just out of tune when necessary. It's a short and direct album, with no time to breathe.".
Kotalo Gallardo – Sleep Paralysis (Chili)
Album of the Year: Manta ray – Pornography: “In 40 minutes they unleash hit after hit, achieving an exquisite balance between pop and experimentation.”.
Sebastian Vazquez (Corny doesn't die - Argentina):
Album of the Year: We have explosives – Victory"It is the result in which he manages to reinvent what his influences always wanted to do in the countercultural field: Create melodies with a very high bar and a quality of execution that only experience could achieve, and rebellious lyrical content that responds to the current sociocultural situation in Latin America, among them: the myth of the family.".
Dandy Calavera (Dandy Overdose- Mexico)
Album of the Year: La Vida Boheme – The fight“I think it’s a brilliant and sublime work, with exquisite musical richness and that quintessential Venezuelan flow—a flow that’s hard to find in other Latin American bands. You can clearly hear the contribution of each instrument in an extraordinary way, a sound that makes us appreciate the value of being a rock band that has enriched its sound through its own Latin culture. This album has beautiful lyrics full of imagery and important revelations, hope, and true nostalgia. The more you listen to it, the more you realize the quantity and quality of the lyrical and sonic content.”
Martín Jaramillo (Mr. Badulaque - Colombia)
Album of the Year: The Spirits – Firewater"Because the production, the sound ensemble and the energy projected by its musicality, make the poetry of its lyrics and rock and roll intertwine in a very dynamic and almost mystical way, transmitting a feeling that reaches very deep.".
Mati Choi (Paris Paris Musique- Argentina)
Album of the Year: Camilo Septimo – Oleos “It’s a well-rounded album, with synth-pop foundations and danceable guitars where Coe’s melancholic voice flows with complete naturalness. Despite being only their first album, Camilo Séptimo has managed to establish a style that is already their own. This year they were undoubtedly the independent band that experienced the greatest growth, and they achieved this without the help of the major record labels that dominate the market. This demonstrates how important it still is to have good songs.”.
And those who agreed:
Edgar Castellanos (Mama Voodoo – Ecuador)
Album of the Year: He Killed a Motorcycle Policeman – O'konor's Synthesis:: “They maintain that melancholic and simple style of their previous albums, but refresh the melodies with some timbral surprises, and I think the lyrics are one of their strengths, balancing ambiguity with a certain local color and secret messages that establish an emotional connection with the listener!».
Fer Larrosa (Da Silva Project - Argentina)
Album of the Year: He Killed a Motorcycle Policeman – O'konor's Synthesis“One criterion for the choice is that it represents a huge qualitative leap for the band compared to their previous albums, in concept, production, the album's overall vision, and also in popularity. But all of that would be meaningless if we weren't dealing with an album containing a collection of beautiful, sensitive, and fierce songs. The beauty and sensitivity of the songs make it, for me, the best album of the year that I've heard.”.
Mechu Leezard (Nuclear Child - Venezuela)
Album of the Year: He Killed a Motorcycle Policeman – O'konor's Synthesis:: “It’s an experimental album, different from what Él Mató had been doing. They experiment with instruments they hadn’t used before. It has an eighties vibe without straying from the band’s classic sound. They play a lot with time signature changes; it’s not as minimalist an album as their previous ones. The heartfelt lyrics combined with the musical atmosphere make this a very melancholic album.”.
