Latin Alternative as a genre is vast. It encompasses everything from the neo-corridos of Natanael Cano to the soft folk pop of Natalia Lafourcade. The one thing all of these artists have in common is their ability to be sonic shapeshifters. Often influenced by culturally or geographically traditional sounds from their childhoods as much as they are the rock or hip hop of this county, most of the artists who fall under the Latin Alternative umbrella are using music as a bridge between the experiences of their parents and those of their peers. To help you better understand this multifaceted genre, here are ten albums that I think best exemplify the creativity and sense of wonder it takes to be a bridge.
Sidestepper – 3am (in beats we trust) (2003)
I’ve often called Sidestepper the grand daddy of electro cumbia, they walked so Bomba Estereo could fly. Bridging the unexpected gap between cumbia and electronica, 3am (in beats we trust) is infectious and romantic, it is boundary pushing-even twenty years later-and most importantly it will get you off your feet!
Latin Bitman – Colour (2009)
Latin Bitman is one of the pioneers of Latin American sampling work. Bitman has been a part of many collaborative efforts-Ritmo Machine, his project with Eric Bobo is not to be slept on-but his solo work stands on its own. Colour is upbeat, funky and perfect for summer. While Bitman is good for a dance track the songs on Colour are more of a vibe.
Chicano Batman – Chicano Batman (2010)
This album, their debut, changed. The. Game. With a clearly vintage soul, Chicano Batman blends soul and R&B with Brazilian Tropicalia, an organ and Chicanismo. The album is a love letter to L.A., to the gente and to women. Chicano Batman is proof positive that imagination and creativity make the best art.
Hello Seahorse! – Arunima (2012)
The Mexico City band’s 5th studio album sees them under the “glow of dawn”. The indie darlings take their sound to a more experimental space on Arunima, it’s moody and intimate and the perfect accompaniment to a glass of whiskey while you sit with your feelings. Home to, arguably, the best song ever, “No Es Que No Te Quiera” Arunima will definitely stick with you.
Bomba Estereo – Blow Up (2014)
“Un poco de folklore con música electronica”
This is the album that really burst digital folklore onto the international scene. Drawing heavily from champeta, a rhythm rooted in resistance, Bomba Estereo’s first release makes a bold statement about who they hoped to become; complex, creative and completely Caribbean.
Mediopicky – Picky Stuff (2014)
Over the last ten years Mediopicky has proven that curiosity and the freedom to experiment are an artist’s best assets. As a debut album Picky Stuff comes hard out the gate. A dance album through and through it moves you through the intersection of techno and merengue and other unexpected but delightful fusions.
Helado Negro – Private Energy (2016)
Here again, curiosity and experimentation reign supreme. At this point in his career Helado Negro was already known for the way he would play with sound, often using found sounds, digital “tics”, and various samples from a million different places; nobody sounds like him. Private Energy explores contradiction, the straddling of lines and what it means to be “Young, Latin and Proud”.
Combo Chimbita – Ahomale (2019)
I remember when this album came out, I took the day off work so I could just sit with it. Ahomale is a prayer. Drawing from ancestral mythologies as much as the rhythms, Combo Chimbita’s second studio album is a battle cry, a channel for generations of frustration and yet, it is also a soft place to lay your head when you need healing.
Buscabulla – Regresa (2020)
Inspired by their return to their home of Puerto Rico, Regresa explores what it means to go back to a home that no longer really exists, at least not in the way you remember it. Though laced with longing, Regresa is dreamy, beachy and danceable, weaving political frustrations into tropical vibes.
Reyna Tropical – Malegria (2024)
Reyna Tropical’s debut full length album is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. The album name-Malegria– is a portmanteau of mal and alegria, essentially, the bad happiness, a fitting title as it chronicles Fabi Reyna’s path as a newly solo artist following the tragic and unexpected passing of her bandmate Nectali “Sumohair” Diaz. Malegria is bright, sunny music for dark times, exploring sadness and its commodification, ancestral reverence and connection to the land.
Want to check out these artists yourself? I put together a Latin Alternative Spotify playlist for you.