By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
This time, we'll go straight to the obvious so that the public who regularly or occasionally visit Zonagirante.com understands a fundamental truth: Independent musicians in Latin America are among the most vulnerable professionals in the economy during the pandemic. These are tough times for those who depend on their performances and the payment for each show during quarantine. Many don't have social security, enough savings to endure the lockdown, or to pay their household bills. We tell you this far from any provocation of pity, much less. We're all going through a tough time right now, and we're a planet shrouded in uncertainty. The thing is, we've reached a point where we must remember that one of our points of contact with the rest of the world while we're isolated is our connection to the world. It's the great list of songs that plays on our speakers while we drown out boredom, despair, or simply seek the necessary joy of each day. Each of you, we know, has at least one band or artist in the soundtrack of your life who self-manages their productions and moves us with their songs.
At Zonagirante.com we admire good independent music from the continent And the vast majority of our reports and articles contain references to bands and solo artists who are not linked to multinational companies. We have no problem with those who enjoy a good record deal with major labels (many of our favorite artists have the privilege of that kind of support), but ours, ever since we joined cyberspace twenty years ago, It's about digging deep and discovering new talent that works from its own autonomy. But, this season, we are determined to warn you about the situation for them and it is in our interest to call on you to contribute to a solution within your means.
First, the obvious: Of the time that each of you spends listening to the music of the day on any digital platform, make sure that at least half, or a little less, is spent listening to new music from our continent. Don't know where to start? Well, every week we present a playlist of new releases from across the hemisphere, and it's all archived on our website. Want to go further? Spotify, For example, It has spaces dedicated to showcasing what's happening in the indie scene, and we can assure you that you'll find gems there that you never imagined. That's how we've become captivated by many amazing projects. For example, we have the Chileans... Manta ray, Peruvian style The Fox Zapata or the Dominican style Jarina de Marco. Want to download and buy the latest underground productions from across the hemisphere? Enter Bandcamp.com, where you'll find a wealth of material, much of it outside of traditional applications, and purchase files and even pressed CDs, in compact disc or vinyl format, at good prices and delivered to your door. And now for something a bit more daring: If you personally know any of these musicians, propose to set up a campaign crowdfunding, Not necessarily within the tools available online to obtain the funds for their subsistence. If we use our imagination, something will surely come up and work.
While all this is happening, We have put together a three-hour journey to present 48 songs that were part of our selection of the best tracks of the last three years. We haven't included any 2020 releases because we'll be compiling our year's favorites list in a few months. The idea is to remember and enjoy an extensive catalog of sonic wonders that still resonate in our memories. and that deserve to be heard repeatedly. These are works from all over the continent and we want, once again, to share them with you.
Music is alive and sustains us in these times of unrest and anxiety. It is time to recognize those responsible for those who sang to us to sustain us in our doubts and to make us dance in the moments when we needed them most.
