PLAYLIST: 5 Latine Artists You Should Be Listening To
By: Camila Trimberger-Ruiz
“Ahora todos quieren ser Latino”
Every day on the way to pre-school my mom would play the same CD burned with all of her favorite club hits. It was filled with tracks such as J-Lo’s “Let’s Get Loud,” Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever,” and Ricky Martin’s “La Copa de la Vida.” All amazing songs from Latine artists who are still huge today.
Seventeen years later there’s understandably a new wave of Latin artists rolling into American pop culture. Artists like Bad Bunny, Rosalía, and Arca are the first that come to mind. One thing that makes them different from their predecessors though, is that they are speaking Spanish for all of their songs. We are no longer seeing re-recordings in English. This is a cultural moment that’s long overdue, as it begins to open up American audiences to the extremely rich and diverse Latin music scene. While I have been listening to Un Verano Sin Tí, MOTOMAMI, and kiCK iiiii on repeat, there’s still a plethora of Spanish-speaking artists across all genres. Here are five of Emmie’s picks.
Mabiland
Hailing from Colombia, Mabely Largacha, better known as Mabiland, is a stand out artist in the rap and urban music scene. Her latest album, Niñxs Rotxs, speaks on her identity as someone who is female, Black, and queer living in Latin America. In both a male-dominated genre and industry that prefers mestizas, or light skinned women, Mabiland represents the underrepresented. Blending sounds of neo-soul and R&B paired with messages of resilience, Mabiland’s career is only growing.
Tracks to check out: “La Mitad de la Mitad”, “WOW”, “Déjalo”
Buscabulla
Buscabulla has only been on the rise after their feature on Bad Bunny’s hit album Un Verano Sin Tí. The Puerto Rican duo, whose name translates to slang for “troublemakers,” has often been compared to Magdalena Bay as both groups are couples making electronic music. However, what sets Buscabulla apart is their blend of Latin and Caribbean sounds paired with soft beats and porcelain Spanish vocals. After being based in New York for many years, the two moved back to Puerto Rico in 2021 to get more involved with the island’s music scene.
Tracks to check out: “Tártaro”, “No Sabemos”, “Métele”
Meth Math
If you’re into electronic music, but you’re looking for something with a bit more edge than Buscabulla, Meth Math is for you. Based in Mexico, Meth Math is the project from vocalist Angél Ballesteros and producers error.error and Bonsai Babies. Featuring blends of dance, hyperperreo, and reggaeton their sound is incredibly exciting. Though they have only been releasing music since the start of 2020 with their single “Perreando y Llorando”, Meth Math has exploded in the DIY scene. Since then they have collaborated with Machine GIrl and their track “Catastral” has been featured as one of Shygirl’s favorites on Spotify.
Tracks to check out: “Tambaleo”, “Perreando y Llorando”, “Beso Con Baba”
Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado
By far the most popular group on this list, Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, (meaning “he killed a motorcycle cop”) is a five-piece indie rock group from Argentina. With influences from American groups such as Sonic Youth and The Velvet Underground, Él Mató’s warm fuzzy sounds backed by equally hypnotizing vocals are perfect for the autumn season. Their latest release, Unas Vacaciones Raras, compiles rerecordings of older tracks as well as songs produced for the re-release of Argentinian drama Okupas on Netflix.
Tracks to check out: “El Tesoro”, “Más o Menos Bien”, “Rey del Terror”
Mil Ataris por Segundo
Mil Ataris por Segundo, the project by Juan Diego Bustillos is truly special. Born in Chicago to a Chilean mother and Venezuelan father, Bustillos is currently based in Caraguas, Venezuela. Mil Ataris explores the sounds of fifth wave emo through therapeutic guitar and muffled vocals. If he’s not singing he’s screaming and though the lyrics are hard to make out, his music is filled with raw emotion. His latest EP, reconstruye tu pequeño corazón, (meaning “I reconstructed your little heart”) explores a softer side of Bustillos, telling stories of loss, love and growth.
Tracks to check out: “xu lizhi habló de sangre”, “el seppuku milenario en los autores japoneses,” “corazón”
Check out these artists and more through our Spotify playlist curated by the EMMIE staff: