Maria Lima
Brazilian singer Maria Lima, 70, has released a focus track from her album Ópera Grunkie, her first album in seven years. The track features Ana Frango Elétrico. The album includes collaborations with other artists, including Adriana Calcanhotto.
Aïtawa
Brazilian artist Aïtawa, based in Campinas, São Paulo, released a single from the forthcoming album Sol Quimérico. The track, which combines rock, trap, and MPB, was created with Cauãzin 019. Aïtawa said: “This song started taking shape when I was around sixteen. It came from a constant feeling of unrest — an internal conflict tied to fear, rebirth, and the desire for rupture. Many of the melodic and structural elements from those early ideas remained in the final recording. More than anything, though, I was trying to transform an emotional state into sound and intensity.”
Franco-Colombian Group
A Franco-Colombian quartet featuring vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Luisa Caceres released the second single from their album Pasajé, which came out at the end of last month. The group includes former members of Pambelé. The music is rock-oriented, with bass, drums, psychedelic guitar, and organ.
Chilean Singer
A US-based Chilean singer released a single from her album Maldita, scheduled for release at the end of July. The album is described as shattering the myths of motherhood. The singer described the track as “a visceral, intense, brutal, and beautiful rant on being fed up,” and added, “Nothing is more uncomfortable than an angry woman.”
Italian Artist
An Italian artist on Far Out Recordings released a single that draws on 1970s Brazilian samba-jazz.
Montoya
Colombian violinist and composer Montoya released a single featuring Italian vocalist Elasi. The track, described as a “rhythmic dialogue between premonition and the present,” originated in the Putumayo region and appears on his forthcoming album Tayta. The single incorporates a reggaeton cadence.
Berle
Artist Berle released a single from his third album, Sem Fronteiras, due this summer. The track was co-produced by Batata Boy and features Nyron Higor. Berle has begun a European tour with a four-piece band.
Vampisoul 7-Inch Single
The Vampisoul label issued a 7-inch single featuring a rural Colombian cumbia track as the A-side. Both sides were recorded for a 1979 album on Discos Fuentes that has not been reissued.
Son Rompe Pera
Mexico City group Son Rompe Pera released a single in early May, recorded in Austin, Texas. The track precedes their third album, due later this summer, and asks “Who is really running the world?”
Sr. Ortegón
José Miguel “Sr.” Ortegón released a single recorded in Cali, described as a tribute to Colombians living abroad. The track blends contemporary beats with traditional vallenato. Ortegón said, “If there’s something that definitely identifies a Colombian, it’s Cumbia and Vallenato.” The single is described as “a harmonious blend of contemporary beats and authentic traditional Vallenato music.”
