Every week, La Alternativa delivers the very best from the Latin alternative scene by curating a blend of emerging and established artists within the Latin diaspora, while providing a platform to champion our growing local music scene. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Wednesday.
Boleros seem to be in the air, and I’m not complaining. This has to be one of my favorite genres, one that connects me to my abuelos and also keeps renewing itself.
For this episode, I brought “CASI TÚ” by Eddy and Ed Maverick, a lovely duet balanced by the latter’s haunting and raw vocals alongside the former’s young tender voice. Lyrically, the song is heartbreaking. It’s singing back to an old lover and letting her know “she’s almost like you but not quite.” Seeking familiarity, it seems like everyone falls short.
From slow and romantic, I shifted to dream pop with tones of post-punk and shoegaze from canela. Regretfully, their home base of Culiacán in the Mexican state of Sinaloa is often affiliated with the cartel crisis and El Chapo. But lots of great artists have come from this city — Chalino Sanchez, El David Aguilar, and now this very fresh and new group.
Canela released debut album Morres in 2023 and followed it with departamento, a release with tons of great moments, including “(no quiero ver) television.” The opening track reflects on comparisons between artists and feeling invalidated for your work, as well as what happens when you grow out of that idea of a promising young person. “Promising” is one way to describe canela, although I’d just say there’s really exciting sounds brewing in Sinaloa.
Episode playlist
- Eddy & Ed Maverick, “CASI TÚ”
- La Vida Boheme, “Entretenimiento”
- Rauw Alejandro, “Tu Con El”
- 3BallMTY, “Intentalo” ft America Sierra & El Bebeto
- Maria Isabel, “Bien Bien”
- PJ Sin Suela & Jorge Drexler, “Todo Se Complica”
- Kaia Lana, “Dejenme Llorar”
- Cuco, “Homesick”
- canela, “(no quiero ver) television”
- Manu Chao, “Solamente” ft Santa Fe Klan
- The Two Lips, “talk”
- YADAM, “PORTATE BIEN”
- Delmar, “Fuego Lento”
- Sotomayor, “Vida”
- Abel, “Lloro”
- Silvestre y La Naranja, “PUERTA DE SOL”
- Empress Of & Rina Sawayama, “Kiss Me”
- Vera GRV & Toni Anzis, “CURA PA MI ALMA”
