By Daniel Montes @malabengala
Editor's note: We've once again invited musicians from our continent to tell us their favorite songs from the vast Latin American catalog. This time, we have the participation of Daniel Montes, leader of the Bogota band Mala Bengala, A project of growing popularity on the local scene. Here's their selection of ten tracks (quite fun, by the way) featuring songs from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Colombia:
Caetano Veloso – He isAt first, one thinks of Caetano and imagines him singing samba and bossa nova ballads. Him and his acoustic guitar. But his album Caetano Veloso, and the song ‘'He is'’ In particular, he delved into what is known as "Tropicália" or "Tropicalismo," which, along with other exponents like Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa, blended the roots of Brazilian folk music with the psychedelia and rock that predominated in the popular culture of the time. The beloved band Os Mutantes emerged from this movement.
Flavio Etcheto – Superbright: I met him because he was a member of Gustavo Cerati's band, presenting his latest album live. Today is always today in Medellín. A great contribution to the album Puff, So much so that at his last concert in Colombia, Flavio performed his version of Soul, A beautiful song co-written by him. This EP is called Superbright It makes you feel like you're in your living room waiting for Flavio, with a drum machine, and some keyboards and guitars, to open his heart and sing songs about encounters, where we are physically far away but at the same time together in intimacy.
Velvety – The SpellFor me, the best band in Colombia. To be honest, I prefer their work from the 90s. El Dorado, The Peace Pipe, Atomic Caribbean y Powerful Joy. This song, The Spell, This is a brief summary of the essence of their sound, where a ballad, the soft and romantic side of popular song, is mixed with the guitar-driven and paranoid grunge of the nineties. Not to mention Andrea's voice and the imagery her lyrics evoke.
Elia and Elizabeth – I am a cloudA gem of Colombian music. Despite being a band from the 70s, very little is known about them. I discovered them around 2012, if I'm not mistaken. I don't have much to say, only that this song, I am a cloud, It's perfect for floating like a cloud. Melancholy with choruses of sadness and joy. The arrangements were done by the famous Jimmy Salcedo.
Boogarins – Benzine: Once again from Brazil, another band that manages to combine its geographical roots with what's happening in popular culture. When I heard it, I said to myself “Wow, the Tame Impala of South America”, But of course, they have a Brazilian dance style that easily blends with that international neo-psychedelia. Undoubtedly one of the best exponents of this genre in these parts. Although Benzine It's very grounded, I'll leave it there for you to give a listen. Manual, the album I like the most of theirs.
Juana Molina – CossackA lovely gem from the Southern Cone. Eclectic but easy to watch. The kind of experimentation I like, since it's not "crazy" by chance but intentional. They say its genre is considered as folktronica, Because most of their songs are catchy and easy to remember, making extensive use of acoustic instruments with electronic sounds. In short, synthesizers that sound like analog instruments and guitars and vocals that seem otherworldly. What I like about Cossack It's that hybrid 7/4 rhythm that seems perfectly natural thanks to the catchy melody and the sporadic instruments that come and go.
Union Theatre Scanners: One of the best things to come out of Colombia in recent years. From the new "independent scene," this band has the clearest vision of what they want to do and the sound they're aiming for. You can feel the influence of post-punk and synthwave, reflected in their artwork, which serves as a backdrop for any cold, underground city, easily Bogotá, even though most of the band members are from warmer climates. The song "Scanners" stands out for its captivating synthesizer interplay that makes you nod your head along with the singer's raw vocals, all set against a fluid, driving bass and drum foundation.
Star – Master DistortionI met this band in mid-2011 when they came to Colombia for the Rock al Parque Festival. They're a prime example of the new Latin American sound, which, along with Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, has inspired several Spanish-speaking musicians on the continent. Thanks to Astro, I met the band Planes (Estudios Universales), with whom I played at several festivals and released an album. The Americas, listed by Radiónica as the best Colombian rock album of 2012. This song, although it feels very homemade in its production, reflects that aspect naive of many artists who make music for sound rather than wanting to say something politically or lyrically relevant.
Morbid and Mambo – CandombeLike almost everything on this list, it's more psychedelic. As the name suggests, it definitely has a bit of mambo, percussion, and wind instruments that get you dancing. But what I liked most was the production. I don't know what they're like live (I hope I get the chance soon), but the trip you take listening to this band is incredible. Their self-titled album is 30 minutes of tranquility, instrumental soundscapes full of trumpet and trombone riffs that make you think of krautrock bands like CAN and NEU!. Hence this song. I'd like to highlight their most recent release, which features collaborations with POND, Andres Nusser, and Santiago Motorizado.
The Managers – OrbitingLed by the prolific Daniel Melero, but with only one album in their catalog. This album features what would be the original version of Treat me gently But for this list I chose the gem of the album, Orbiting. I love the sound of this song with its era-inspired drums and synthesizers, closing with a saxophone solo that gives it that eighties feel. I only discovered this song about a year ago, and the lyrics make me think of... Out of orbit, a song I composed almost 7 years ago and released with Mala Bengala in 2018. Listen to it and look for the similarities.