Keeping It Fresh

Today I have some music for you by an artist all the way from Spain. And this is a bit of a nice detour, especially since much of the Spanish music I talk about is from Latin or South America. But I would like to introduce you to an artist who has brought the vibrancy and playfulness of Spain to the music world. Alvaro Soler is a wonderful singer-songwriter who really knows how to make the music feel free and alive. This song is his most famous song, but Alvaro Soler still remains a rather underground artist, especially here in the States. So there are two versions of this song- one in Spanish and one in Spanglish. But today, I want to talk just about the Spanish version of the song. There is this incredible richness to the way Alvaro Soler sings in Spanish, something that cannot be fully expressed in English words and verses. There is a specific energy and atmosphere which can only be captured by singing this song in the native language of Alvaro Soler, and that is what makes this ...

Today we go round 2 with foreign music, with the artist of the day coming all the way from Spain. Alvaro Soler is one of the best breakout artists of last year, but no one really knows who he is here in the States. Alvaro Soler is a wonderful singer-songwriter who really knows how to make music feel free and alive. His themes tend to revolve around being happy go lucky and carefree and overall feel good. But he does it in a way that isn't "in your face" nor is it overly enthusiastic. He hits that sweet spot of being fun and exciting without being over the top. So there are two versions of this song- one in Spanish and one in Spanglish. But today, I want to talk just about the Spanish version of the song. There is this incredible richness to the way Alvaro Soler sings in Spanish, something that cannot be fully expressed in English words and verses. This song is so contagiously fun, full of this incredible energy and complete liveliness. There is also this constant sense ...

Today I have some music for you by Mohombi. This song is just so damn catchy. This is one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance. This song has an infectious energy to and it won't let you sit still. Mohombi has taken a great Latin and hip hop mix to make this song what it is. I think what makes this song even cooler for me is the fact that Mohombi is actually from Sweden, and this song could technically be classified as Swedish. That's right, I bet you didn't see that coming. But Mohombi is from Europe and more importantly, Sweden which adds this plot twist. Mohombi takes on those Latin and afrobeat and hip hop styled beats and is able to even nail down the accent when singing which makes this song sound absolutely phenomenal. Honestly, I think that in this song there is a very fine blend between Latin American and afrobeat sounds to the point where it can be a bit difficult to distinguish between the two. This song is such a great dancehall anthem which is...

Today I have some music for you by an artist all the way from the Spain. Alvaro Soler is a wonderful singer-songwriter who really knows how to make music feel free and alive. This song is his most famous song, but Alvaro Soler still remains a rather underground artist, especially here in the States. So there are two versions of this song- one in Spanish and one in Spanglish. But today, I want to talk just about the Spanish version of the song. There is this incredible richness to the way Alvaro Soler sings in Spanish, something that cannot be fully expressed in English words and verses. This song is so contagiously fun, full of this incredible energy and complete liveliness. There is also this constant sense of freedom and adventure woven throughout the song, something that is pretty perfect considering the song is all about that. This song is just so up-tempo and bubbly and just an all around feel good track! And we get that sound from the get go. As soon as the song opens, we are gre...

Today I have a remix of one of the most popular songs of 2015. But you see, I am not here to talk about the original song. That has been overdone and overheard for a while. No, today is all about how genius and well done this remix is. This was done by Balvin and Farruko, a duo of Latin American artists. Now what makes this remix one of my favorites is the fact that Balvin and Farruko totally embrace that Spanish and Latin American flair and add it to the song. What is great about this song is that Major Lazer made it a culturally ambiguous one. While it is clear that the instrumentals and beats are more inclined to one cultural style over another, there are a lot of these ethnic sounds that sound so great with the song. And because of this, having a Spanish remix is something that is new and innovative and very compatible. This has a really interesting twist of reggaeton in it, which makes it less noticeable because the original song is moombahton. A quick breakdown of moombahton, it ...

Today I wanted to post some music that comes from one of the biggest festivals in Latin America- Dia de los Muertos. This is a version of what we call Halloween which I find to be really awesome. On this day, the dead are celebrated for the life they lived and the families all partake in feasting together and visiting the resting place of loved ones. I find this tradition to be really great because it shows this kind of appreciation that these people have for those who have passed along. It allows you to remember and rejoice in the life that loved ones lived, rather than focusing on their absence. It is a time for families to come together and really be one. So in honor of that, I have some music that is devoted to Dia de los Muertos. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment! 

Today I have a song for you by a very small boy band that was called One Call. Sadly, these guys disbanded before getting big, but they did release this song and I have to say, it is such a shame that they were not able to continue to come out with songs like this. I really like this song! It has a sick beat, great vocals and vocal harmonies, and this is just such a great dance song! This is an awesome song that you can jam to, sing to, and dance to. Today's instrumental song is by the incredibly famous Jennifer Lopez. I really like the infusion of Latin American beats with a modern electronic sound. This is another great dance song with a really good beat. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Sorry about yesterday's post! I had a religious event to attend and wasn't able to put out some music for you all. But, today I do have some! It has been an extremely long time since I have posted any Latin or Spanish music. So today, I have some music by the always incredible and one of my favorite foreign artists, Daddy Yankee. This is actually a pretty old song by him but I never get tired of it. This song has so much energy and such a great beat to it. This song cause infectious dancing and if you don't feel the need to get up and dance I bet you caught yourself head banging a little bit or even bobbing. I highly, highly recommend you listen to Daddy Yankee's other music because it is just as good! Today's instrumental song is some reggaeton beats. I love this beat so much, maybe because you can do so much with it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have some music for you by Mohombi. This song is just so damn catchy. This is one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance. This song has an infectious energy to and it won't let you sit still. Mohombi has taken a great Latin and hip hop mix to make this song what it is. I think what makes this song even cooler for me is the fact that Mohombi is actually from Sweden, and this song could technically be classified as Swedish. That's right, I bet you didn't see that coming. But Mohombi is from Europe and more importantly, Sweden which adds this plot twist. Mohombi takes on those Latin and afrobeat and hip hop styled beats and is able to even nail down the accent when singing which makes this song sound absolutely phenomenal. Honestly, I think that in this song there is a very fine blend between Latin American and afrobeat sounds to the point where it can be a bit difficult to distinguish between the two. This song is such a great dancehall anthem which is...

Today I wanted to post some music that comes from one of the biggest festivals in Latin America- Dia de los Muertos. This is a version of what we call Halloween which I find to be really awesome. On this day, the dead are celebrated for the life they lived and the families all partake in feasting together and visiting the resting place of loved ones. I find this tradition to be really great because it shows this kind of appreciation that these people have for those who have passed along. So in honor of that, I have some music that is devoted to Dia de los Muertos. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment! 

Today I have some Latin music after a long time of not posting anything that sounds traditionally Latin. I heard this song a completely fell in love with it. While the song meaning is melancholy, the song itself is so beautiful and romantic sounding because it has that sweet traditional guitar and rhythm of Latin music. Latin music is very lovely and the lyrics are always about love and are very romantic even in sad songs. The way that bachata makes everything sound so kind and warm is just amazing. What is great about bachata is that it can be something very energizing or it can be like this song, something so intimate and charming. This song is a brilliant collaboration done by Enrique Iglesias and Romeo Santos. Both of these artists are phenomenal singers and they sound so wonderful together. What is really cool about this is that Enrique Iglesias is a Spaniard and Romeo Santos's blood is from Central America. You can hear the different and distinct styles with which each singer...

As many of you know, this year is the year of the FIFA World Cup. Now, I absolutely love football (soccer). This is a sport that people from literally every country watch and it is a sport that brings the world together. Part of me feels like FIFA is more unifying than the Olympics! This year we have seen some epic games and every game has been super exciting. The official song for the World Cup is also super exciting and I really like the fact that Pitbull decided to tone it down a little bit. This song sounds more appropriate for FIFA and I honestly think this is one of the best songs he has ever put out. This song really captures the feel of South America and the festive spirit of Brazil. The lyrics to this song are also very encompassing of the entire world and how football is something that can bring us together, even if its just for a moment. This song has a great beat and a phenomenally catchy chorus that really represents the energetic, fun, and vivacious nature of Brazil. Whil...

Today I have a song for you by a very small boy band that was called One Call. Sadly, these guys disbanded before getting big, but they did release this song and I have to say, it is such a shame that they were not able to continue to come out with songs like this. I really like this song! It has a sick beat, great vocals and vocal harmonies, and this is just such a great dance song! This is an awesome song that you can jam to, sing to, and dance to. Today's instrumental song is by the incredibly famous Jennifer Lopez. I really like the infusion of Latin American beats with a modern electronic sound. This is another great dance song with a really good beat. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today's song is some wonderful swing music because frankly, I have gone way too long since posting a song like this. So, we are going to start with a little bit of Frank Sinatra. Why? Well because he is one of the greatest swing and jazz singers ever! Literally, everything Sinatra performs is perfection. I love everything he does, and especially when he teams up with other legends like Dean Martin. But this song is more of Sinatra's lovely, calm, and sweet songs. Today's instrumental song is by Red Norvo, a jazz big band. This song is great and energetic, one of those dancing songs that you wish you knew how to dance to but don't because you don't know how to swing. But that may just be me...I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have the best Latin song of 2013 for you! Actually, this was the third hottest Latin song, the first being a Marc Antony song which I recently posted and the second by the always awesome Daddy Yankee, another song which I have posted. So this song is by the artist known as Prince Royce. I have heard this song name dropped quite a few times so I can understand why it is so popular besides the fact that its a great song! It is such a cute song and has a great mix of many music styles. Today's instrumental song is also a Latin song, but by the best Latin instrumentalist of 2013. Bajofondo uses so many elements to create pieces that are recognizably Latin, but also completely different. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

It has been an extremely long time since I have posted any cultural music. So today, I have some always energetic Latin music by the popular Marc Anthony. This song has a more traditional feel to it, but Marc Anthony makes it work in such a way that it sounds absolutely incredible! Today's instrumental song is from the movie El Greco, who if you do not know, is a famous artist. This song has a very calming epic sound which is beautiful! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

It has been way to long since I have posted a non-English song, so today I have music from one of my favorite Latina artists. Shakira is mostly known for her insanely incredible dancing skills but this song combines some of her awesome aspects. It has the energetic feel that we all need to dance and attempt to look like Shakira! This song has an English counterpart which is just as good, so go check it out! Today's instrumental song is a version of a song by Yandel. This has a great mix of modern electro and traditional Latin beats. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have music for you from the always incredible, Don Omar! His music can always get me up and dancing, even if its just a little swaying or full out salsa. This song is has some typical Latino beats, but it has been infused with a great techno sound to create a new style of Latin music. I enjoy this song so much and it has been masterfully composed! Today's instrumental song is by the German DJ who goes by the name Tensnake. What I find so intriguing about this song is the use of techno sounds, but also traditional sounds from many different cultures. This song has a distinct reggae sound to it as well, which is just sick! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have a very interesting mix of music for you. This first song is by the duo Yolanda Be Cool and producer DCUP. Some of you may be familiar with this song, and it is a pretty damn fantastic one! This song has a great balance of electro and swing which just makes it sweet as hell. It is one of those songs that can always make you feel good because of the vibes it has and the almost comedic nature of the song. Today's instrumental song is by Caravan Palace and is such an incredible genre mash up. I can find myself listening to this style of music all the time! It is just phenomenal and fun! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today's music is by a very popular and pretty famous singer, Bruno Mars. Now normally I wouldn't post a song this popular but I absolutely love this song! It is so brilliantly composed and gets me up dancing every single time! It has such a great modern twist on an 80's beat and Mars' voice is so perfect for the overall tone of the song. Today's instrumental song is some of the old school funk music! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!