By the Zonagirante team @spinning zone
Every December, Zonagirante makes the effort to ask some of its musician friends to write about their favorite Latin album of the year. It's hard work, Since many say they haven't listened to enough music from the continent to have an opinion (this response has always worried and saddened us) Or some make commitments and then disappear off the map (Yes, you, those at the back of the room, yes, we're accusing you.) But we always manage to get surprising, fascinating, and original opinions that give us the breather we need to be able to close the article with satisfaction. Thanks to the contributors and to those who forgot at the last minute to send us their notes. Next year we will make sure to insist on them with greater pressure.
Spinetta– The Friends (By Mariano Rucci – Yira)
The last studio work by the master Luis… prophet in his land and in the land of the hereafter. I couldn't resist choosing this album. I didn't think about it much either. My friend, That's the title... his musical partners in this project, Rodolfo Garcia (drums) and Daniel Ferron (bass), recount that during rehearsals at Spinetta's house/studio, "Flaco" asked his mother, "What should we name the band, Mom?"... and she replied: "Los Amigos!!!" Anecdote aside, this is not just another album. Nor is it a posthumous compilation from one of the greatest musicians, artists, and poets in our history. It's Luis's farewell. From this planet, at least. The Argentinian press, which only "passes over" the release details without even pressing play, called it "a jazz album." Gentlemen... not quite, not quite, but it's not a jazz album. It's as if the songs of its author were played and interpreted by wise musicians who have seen it all. And there's no need for masks, facades, posing, or explanations! In its 7 tracks (plus a hidden track within the last one), Spinetta's luminous pen shines through, and there are tremendous melodies and soundscapes that have guided us so much in his eternal quest, from his roots, to the commitment to make music to expand and nourish the soul and our inner knowledge. This is no joke. This is no prank, and this is not just another album.
Iris, The first single is a hit in every sense of the word.«Ashes of what I didn't see/in what the sea buried me/I beg you Iris, have mercy on me…»"It's sustained by the trio's near-perfect execution, and the subtle string arrangements by Claudio Cardone and the keyboards of 'Guía' and another longtime friend, Mr. 'Mono' Fontana, give it a profound three-dimensional sound. From conception to completion." Friends Luis's They take us to that place where the one who turns off the light and lowers the curtain is no longer there.. «Find your bearings today/today is the last day/later the sun will rise, the one that barely shone…/that simply left/and rises in another place…«.
Telebit – Twelve Winds (by Andrés Mosquera – Mowa)
This album is a constant reminder that it is possible to make rock and be faithful to the musical roots without falling into a commonplace or obvious. The band's musical evolution since their previous work is evident, as is the new musical path they've chosen to embark on, with excellent results. It's a return to Colombian sounds, both musically and aesthetically. but with an undeniable unique and contemporary element. It's a twelve-part piece that offers a journey through joyful and accessible places as well as passages that become dense and chaotic. Recommended song: Amulet.
Planet No – Hate (By Andrés Reveco)
Choosing the album of the year is difficult. An album should be a logical and sincere series of aesthetic, musical, stylistic, and discursive propositions. The debut Hate of the Chileans Planet No It is, without a doubt, a complete puzzle. The songs communicate with each other, there is a discourse, The sound is fresh, the arrangements captivating and surprising. The palette of colors and textures is the perfect complement to a group that has achieved its own unique sound; very Chilean, very contemporary. Pop, guitars, dance, stories, and lyrics that paint the South American indie scene with new colors. The countryside, from sunrise to sunset y 64 for sure, They will be benchmarks for the circuit.
Scrub – Gabriel (by Alvaro Gomez) -Perrosky)
I think there are few groups with such a solid and varied career as Scrub. Although on their latest album, Remote control, They took a big leap in the band's compositions and sound, moving away from their rock-based beginnings, in Gabriel, the band It buries itself in swampier, more twisted sands, verging entirely on electronic music. Felipe Cadenasso's voice, with its solid and complex melodies, floats over Ítalo Arauz's fractured beats (a special mention: for me, he's one of the best drummers on the Chilean scene). Cadenasso and Favero's production work is remarkable, as is the songwriting and music collaboration with Gonzalo Planet. The eleven tracks flow quickly, fluidly, and elegantly, immediately placing this album (at least for this listener) among the best I've heard this year. Standout tracks: Exchange Slip (Single from this album), Remain, They fall, Overcoming it (with vocal harmonies that will bring to mind a darker and more modern Beach Boys), Air and grand finale Transmission.
Storm season – The First Expedition (By Mechu Leezard – Nuclear Child)
To begin with, I'm not an article writer, I'm a musician trying to write songs (excuse my lack of everything), and well, I'm here to tell you what my favorite album of 2015 is..
Storm Season (Argentina) released her second album in May 2015 The First Expedition, to In my opinion, one of the best albums of the year. It's a production that touches on space rock, post-rock, experimental music, and sometimes even dabbles in mathematical rock. The melodies of the strings and the rhythms of the drums take you on an incredible journey. The songs don't have many lyrics, but the ones they do have end up being like a mantra that gets stuck in your brain for hours, and if you pay attention to the few songs that have lyrics, you realize that they tell a story. It's a very melancholic concept album.. The recommended track, The Farewell.
Stereo pump – Sunrise (By Tana Vallejo – Cannibal Flora)
At this point, my choice might sound a bit cliché, given all the hype surrounding my album of the year. The thing is, for me Music is not just for music lovers and connoisseurs. For me, it's much more than that. Like with film and literature, I always try to cite or bring up something I like, and I get stuck because my memory for names, years, albums, directors, writers, etc. is truly pathetic. But one day it stopped mattering to me, because I realized that the music and what I carry inside it is much more important than a name or a rating.
This year was crucial in my personal growth and I can say with complete certainty that BBomba Estéreo marked a before and after in my life. I did remember them, I knew almost every one of their song titles, and they truly touched my soul. What Li Saumet wrote in her songs was like a message that reached me directly and helped me understand a lot of things I was going through. This, along with that musical essence I already loved, everything Simón does, Julián's contribution, and the producer's incredible performance, made it all so special. I think it was the perfect combination for my ears. Anyway. Bomba Estereo's "Amanecer" is my album of the year. Thanks guys, you're awesome!
P.S. A live description would be quite long because the bass drum truly touches my soul!
