Son Rompe Pera's 'Batuco' Challenges Notions of Punk and Cumbia

Marimba-driven cumbia punk sounds celebrate the old and new on Son Rompe Pera's debut album Batuco.

                                      
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Marimba-driven cumbia punk sounds celebrate the old and new on Son Rompe Pera's debut album Batuco.

Austin-based Afro-Colombian funk ensemble Superfónicos honors a more inclusive sense of America on their new cumbia single "Cumbéalo".

The follow-up to Monsieur Periné's Latin Grammy win sees them expanding their sound on Encanto Tropical (Tropical Charm) and the group tells us all about it.

Sonido Gallo Negro's Mambo Cósmico is driven by cumbia's buoyant and consistent rhythms that create a sonically rich and bounteous album.

High-energy opera and surf rock swirls tell a story of ancient sharks on Bombay Rickey's dramatic "Megalodon".

Vintage music from the Peruvian Andes makes for a lively compilation, although it loses something in the translation from past to present.

If you’re looking for a psychedelic trip to top off your end of week, look no further than Money Chicha's new album.

They need to either knock you dead with skill or else subvert the whole notion of skill.

Customer satisfaction almost universal on this one.

An intense spiny knot of Argentinean nu-cumbia, the directness of the Colombian bounce affected by the slippy local sound.

The band's star has risen thanks to their unique blend of cumbia-powered jams, electro-shimmering layers of sound and catchy riffs from the guitars and synths.

Surf guitars, sapphic lyrics, and punk rock attitude from the Buenos Aires sextet.

Making this sort of traditional-meets-modern formula work is a difficult thing to do once, rare to see twice and Lara is now on his 4th record. This fact alone is indicative of a better than average formula.

Mix in a portion of Cumbia, a dash of Samba, a sprinkling of Ska, a dollop of rock and a measure of bilingual vocals. Put it on your player for an hour and bingo: La Sopa!

Sometime collaborators and label mates, Alice Russell and Quantic finally produce a full album. It’s been worth the wait.

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Imagine if Theodor Adorno wrote Disney princess songs -- only, you know, with a salsa band.

That urge to make music so effective that no one can dispute its superiority.

As rock 'n' roll fever took over the US and UK, musicians in Peru were busy developing their own style. Latin rhythms, stinging guitars, and Amazonian attitude are the lasting thrills of this collection of songs recorded by Ranil y su Conjunto in the 1970s.

On their fourth studio album, Grupo Fantasma continue to throw elements of funk, reggae, and rock into their danceable stew of Latin American styles and somehow make it sound completely natural.

This is exactly how a party album from a respected world music label should be handled.

The Roots of Chicha jogs along on a wave of good humour, jaunty male singing, and an overall vibe of pride and pleasure.

The album almost giggles with verve.