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 ...

It has been quite some time since I have sent some Spanish/Latin music this way, so today is all about those reggaeton beats. But this time around, it isn't the pumped-up dance music that I normally like to talk about. Today I have Latin music which airs more on the romantic side. Now this song does not have the long, drawn-out notes which accompany many romantic songs. This song still has a lively energy and a fun sound, while maintaining a sweetness which will make anyone blush. To start off with some introductions, this song is by the Colombian singer-songwriter, Sebastian Yatra. And his voice is absolutely beautiful. There are so many things I love about Latin singers. First of all, every singer has their own signature catchphrase. Whether it is a cool way to say their name or some kind of signature sound effect, you can often tell who has created a song based on these highly unique and identifying sounds. Second, Latin singers sing their lyrics with a plethora of romantic p...

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 we are starting off with an artist from Puerto Rico! It has been ages since my last post regarding Latin music, so today I wanted to bring you some fresh sounds by the singer-songwriter known as Luis Fonsi. And when it comes to musical academia, this guy has a lot going for him. While Luis Fonsi studied music during college, he also participated in a traveling choir which took him all over the US and England. On top of it all, his songwriting skills have earned quite a few awards and nominations, including a Latin Grammy. But I realize that you all didn't come here for a biography lesson, so let's jump into the music! This song reached the top of so many charts and did so very quickly. What is interesting to note though, is that this song is still relatively unknown. How this happened, I am not so sure about, but there are a couple of things I wanted to point out about this. First, this is the first Latin and Spanish pop song to reach the global top 10 playlist on Spoti...

Today I have some music for you that comes from Latin America. Yandel is one of the more popular artists from the world of reggaeton. This has to be one of my absolute favorite genres to come from the world of Latin music. There is an infectious and fun and sexy energy that comes with reggaeton. What is cool about reggaeton music is that the genre itself is a mix of so many musical styles an influences. We hear Caribbean influences as well as Spanish and American hip hop influences. In fact, much of reggaeton now is influenced by this idea of Latin American hip hop, and it has picked up momentum quickly. This style of music is also rooted in the Latin American beat groove called a tresillo. This beat pattern is standard for Latin American music, especially reggaeton. In fact, this tresillo beat is what makes Latin American music so easy to recognize. Lyrics aside, this tresillo is that beat that every Latin American song has which makes it so unique in comparison to the rest of the wor...

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 an absolutely awesome song for you, a song that is pretty much the greatest thing in terms of song reworks. So this is originally by Desiigner, and this song is one of the most popular songs right now. However, this popular song has been given a makeover and has become even better. So this is a Spanish rework of the song and it is pretty much awesome. This is done completely in Spanish by some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Daddy Yankee, Almighty, Cosculluela, and Farruko. I won't lie, there is something even more hype about the fact that this is in Spanish. I don't know why, but it seems even more bad ass which is great for the sound of this song. This beat is of course part of great production because it takes the beat from the original song. What Farruko adds to this song (other than the Spanish) is the reggaeton sounds in the beat. There are some high hats that are done in reggaeton style, which is very much expected from Farruko. What is cool i...

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's song is by English grime rapper Wiley. This is the first song I heard by him, and I absolutely loved it! The rapping has a fantastic beat with a very Caribbean/Latin American sound to it. I have to say, he reminds me of Sean Paul! This is the kind of song that is meant to be energetic and fun rather than deep and meaningful. I won't lie, the lyrics are a little sparse in terms of actually being deep and thought provoking. However, this is the kind of song you would want to hear when you are at a pool party or hanging out on the beach or doing something totally fun and wild. It has that infectious osund and rhythm that makes you want to move and dance along to it. While I can't say anything else in terms of what this song makes you feel, I can tell you that this would be a great song to add to your summer playlist. Everything that goes with the vibe of a beach summer, is heard and felt in this song. I think that is pretty sick! Today's instrumental song is by Moh...

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 music for you out of Puerto Rico by a duo known as Plan B. This song is really cool because it has an awesome mix of modern electronics and the more traditional Latin beat. This song has a really good energy to it because it is not overly energetic nor is it very languid. I really like the way this song sounds, especially the chorus. This is an awesome song to dance to because you can do so much with it. You can do some salsa or bachata dancing to it but also go with something like hip hop as well. This song has a sound that appeals to a wide range of listeners. I also think it is really cool how every member of the group has something specific to contribute to the song. A lot of times bands and groups of singers provide similar ranges and the rest serve as harmonizers to the person singing the melody. But for this song we have someone who sings the chorus, another who does more of the rapping, someone to cover the low bass notes, and another to get the higher ones. I...

Today I have music for you from Puerto Rico by a group know as Da'Zoo. These artists, they know how to turn up the party vibes. This song has everything from a sick beat to hot back and forth between the guy and girl. The lyrics to the song are a little dirty, no doubt about it. But what's wrong with a little bit to spice things up a bit? And seeing as most people don't even understand what the lyrics mean, it's all good! But this song has a really wicked dance beat to it that is so different than your typical Latin style music. For one, this song relies heavily on the use of electronics and synth to make the awesome sounds. This group makes great use of the electric bass and there is this organic fluidity to the way the song sounds. There is definitely repetition but it doesn't feel like it because there is something slightly different in every verse. The lyrics stay the same but the way they are presented is different. For example, the last verse is the only one t...

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...

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 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!

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!