By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone

Cover art by Zonagirante Studio

In that corner of cyberspace called Bandcamp, The true global underground continues to simmer. While other platforms reduce music to mere statistics, There, sounds breathe with their own names, without algorithms that dilute their essence. More and more artists are choosing this direct, non-intermediary stage to launch their soulful proposals, to connect with that audience that is not satisfied with the endless loop of the mainstream. We've said it a million times, but it's worth repeating: if you really want to know where creativity escapes the mold, go to Bandcamp, listen to their daily selections, read their reviews, and let yourself be shaken by those who transform noise into identity. And as a sonic example of all this, we bring you a very particular special: we review five self-managed albums that emerge from different corners of the continent with the clear intention of breaking the routine and enjoying themselves on their own terms (and forgetting for a while the desires of the damned to end the world).

Balthvs –Year of the Snake

Once again we turn to the one They may be the most successful independent trio in the Colombian music scene right now, Although, paradoxically, there's a greater chance of seeing them touring the United States and Europe than playing near their home in Bogotá. Even so, that doesn't prevent us from always having the opportunity to enjoy what they call their music, whether live or by listening to their songs on digital platforms. «"global psychedelic funk.". One thing is clear, and can be confirmed by listening to this three-track EP, and that is that His style is not exactly for those who are tied to the trends of the moment. Hopefully, they (that is, Balthazar Aguirre, Johanna Mercuriana, and Santiago Lizcano) won't be offended if we describe their sound as adult, mature, crafted for an audience that already seeks prudent euphoria, ecstasies of slow but sure explosion, unimaginable journeys with the seatbelt fastened. If they ask for more words to dispel any doubts about what Balthvs sounds like, let's add terms like "rock/tropical fusion," "guitar virtuosity," and sensuality. and varied emotional journeys in a single recording.

Frank Jacket – PO(o)PA Billy

One of the wonders of Bandcamp (which doesn't pay us a single penny for the praise we give them) is that, since it's free to upload musicians' material to its platform, it's super fast (any human being can do it), Many artists decide at the moment they want to showcase their old recordings and cater to their new fans with archival productions, making those productions stored away available to the world. This is the case of this Chilean artist, who decided this month to release some of his songs from the late 90s, recorded in 2014 and, as he himself warns «"They were made up a little yesterday, ugly mock-ups of some moment, of a take, just so they wouldn't be forgotten.". Frank Jacket did everything on this album. He recorded the vocals, all the guitars, the double bass, and more strings (banjo, mandolin, violin, lap steel, ukulele, plus a long etcetera), and the drums himself. And yes, I designed the cover for this EP. What does it sound like? The most down-to-earth and fun country, rockabilly, and folk you can imagine. It's an eternal smile in the face of ever-present misfortune. It's enchanting. You can't miss it.

Intergalactic Surfers – Apache [Live]

The distance between Lanús, a city located in the Greater Buenos Aires area, and the sand that sings with real waves is about 330 kilometers. San Clemente del Tuyú is the first embrace of the Atlantic that is worth the trip. Everything else is brown river and urban nostalgia. The beach, seriously, is when the wind smells of salt. That doesn't stop this band, now based in the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, can aspire and demonstrate that surf music is their thing, and that their music can be played on any vacation radio station by the sea. Intergalactic Surfers returns to revive a timeless classic, recording it live to capture the attention of fans and newcomers alike. This is their new single, a gem that includes one of the best covers we've seen in recent times. Hopefully, Quentin Tarantino will hear them soon and decide to include them in the soundtrack of one of his upcoming films. Quentin, check out the South once in a while; there are some surprises here that will suit your musical taste.

Andrés Plat – Natural Clumsiness

While browsing Bandcamp, We come across a bizarre cover, where we see a naked man, barely covered by his guitar, posing by the sea. «"This is something we definitely need to hear.", We said. Anything could happen, we'll leave the speculation to you. To our delight, we "discovered" an album of fourteen acoustic covers, simply and directly performed by a Uruguayan musician, who interprets in his own way (we imagine a decent microphone, his instrument, and we don't know if he resorted to stripping for the entire production)., songs by Leonard Cohen, Alfredo Zitarrosa, Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso and other musical heroes of contemporary history. The truth is, it's all very beautiful (please avoid any cheesy connotations of this word). It's sincere, moving, and passionate. The best moments? Definitely, Police & Thieves, of Junior Murvin; Personal Jesus, of Depeche Mode; I dream about snakes, of Silvio Rodríguez and definitely, Guns of Brixton, original of The Clash. Don't take things out of context; it's just a man and his guitar, nothing more. There's no autotune, no overproduced pauses. Even if they get picky, there are little off-key notes that are endearing. This is independence and self-management in its most direct and raw form. For the audience, it's about having a good time, and if you like, tunes for a pleasant journey home, wherever each of you may be.

The Sad Lunatics – The Last Throne of Apophis

And we end this journey in Costa Rica, where, however much we might futilely try to deny it, it may well have one of the most interesting rock scenes in Latin America, regardless of its size.Who knows how much of a local audience the more alternative bands attract, but it's worth remembering that such interesting acts as Las Robertas, Monte, Colornoise and many others emerged from there, and have been able to spread their sound in the most unexpected places. Today we bring you a band with dark textures, close to Post-Punk, Shoegaze, and Post-Rock, adding experimental atmospheres to their recordings. This is a four-track album, meticulously produced and with beautiful melodies. If we focus on the details that might draw the audience to this project, we can affirm that in their music There are references to The Cure, The Mission, The Cult, and other Anglo-Saxon legends. What this EP contains is remarkable, and we know that among the Zonagirante.com community of followers, there will be more than one who will celebrate this work.