A wave of new albums from Latin and Latin-diaspora artists spans genres from alternative pop and bossa nova to salsa, cumbia, and experimental chamber pop.
Sofía Rei: Antónima
Sofía Rei, the Argentine Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer based in New York, released Antónima in early April. The album took approximately five years to complete, with recording sessions in Buenos Aires and New York. Rei worked with a range of female collaborators under the guidance of her longtime co-producer JC Maillard from Guadeloupe. The 10-track collection blends alternative pop with folk styles, jazz tropes and electronic textures. Rei has previously collaborated with John Zorn, Lionel Loueke, Maria Schneider and Pedrito Martínez.
Seu Jorge
Seu Jorge has issued a new album that he describes as the best work he has ever done. The project involved a lengthy gestation: Jorge said it required “a great deal of patience not to give in to the urge to release it too soon, but to wait until it was truly ready.” The album features a roster of collaborators, including Zap Mama on “Far From The Sea” and Beck on a version of Nick Drake’s “River Man.”
Almonte
A Nuyorican singer and percussionist, twice nominated for a Latin Grammy, has released his debut full-length album. The artist, Almonte, has worked with Paul McCartney, Kid Creole, Eddie Palmieri and the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra. Guests on the album include pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, bassist Carlos Henriquez and Stevie Van Zandt, who contributes a guitar solo on “Caminando.” The record draws on Almonte’s Puerto Rican heritage and presents a polished blend of salsa, pop and rock.
Tony Succar: Celia Cruz Tribute
Grammy-winning producer, percussionist and bandleader Tony Succar, who has Peruvian and Japanese roots and is based in Miami, has released a 13-track album deeply rooted in salsa. The project pays homage to Celia Cruz and features trumpeter Arturo Sandoval alongside other members of the Succar family. Succar previously gained attention for an album that paid tribute to Michael Jackson.
Camilo Lara and Eblis Álvarez
Camilo Lara and Eblis Álvarez have teamed up for an album that deconstructs Mexican and Colombian cumbia, drawing on the slowed-down style pioneered by Mexican sonideros in the 1970s. The 10-track release is named after and inspired by Rigo Tovar, the Mexican musician who revolutionised cumbia by incorporating the Moog synthesizer. Beck appears on two tracks.
Carolina Cury: Glissbliss
London-based Italo-Brazilian pianist, composer and vocalist Carolina Cury has released Glissbliss, an album that sits at the intersection of classical music and experimental pop. Cury graduated from the Venice Conservatory and received the Gold Medal from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has collaborated regularly with German-born British composer Max Richter. The album’s piano-led compositions feature airy vocals, suspended harmonies, strings and electronics, blending chamber music with pop experimentation.
Muca and Roberto Menescal: Beleza
London-based Brazilian-rooted artist Murillo Squillaro, known as Muca, has collaborated with 88-year-old bossa nova guitarist Roberto Menescal on the album Beleza. The record features the two guitarists and a different guest female vocalist on each of its 12 tracks. Guest vocalist SAHRA said: “I spent some time in Brazil in the winter of 2024 and fell in love with bossa nova all over again.” The album’s title translates as “beauty” and serves as slang for “everything’s cool.”
Lila Downs
Lila Downs released her latest album the day before Beleza. For the first time, she wrote all 10 tracks herself. The songs explore themes of personal transformation, love, grief and empowerment, inspired by the experience of finding love again after the death of her husband. She worked with Alex Cuba on the single “Jardin de Placer.” The album showcases her signature blend of cumbia, bolero and ranchero.
