Alt.Latino

Is Bill Evans techno? 29.07.2026 29λ

Bill Evans might not be techno. But in this week's episode, the slow-building angst and tension of electronic producer Debit's new music reminded Ana of the beloved jazz piano master. And that kind of genre cross-pollination is everywhere in this week's showcase of new music: Brazilian field recordings remixed for the club, multiple reinterpretations of the Cuban guaguancó, and Spanish producers channeling -- as Ana puts it -- "experimental Boricua stuff."Featured artists and albums:(00:45) Various Artists, 'Candomblé: Sacred Rhythms in Brazil'(04:24) Ítallo, 'CATATAU'(11:25) Debit, 'Potpourri'(16:41) Calequi y Las Panteras, 'TRES'(21:07) Carolina Oliveros, 'Oye Camina'(24:35) BLAYA, 'Your lesbian neighbour is playing music next door'This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Spain wins (at music, too) 22.07.2026 27λ

We'll take any excuse to talk about the insane quality of music coming out of Spain these days. This week, we got one: Spain defeated Argentina on Sunday to win the 2026 World Cup Final. So, this episode is a celebration of the multitude of music scenes across Spain that we can't get enough of. Catch boundary-pushing electronic and hip hop producers in Madrid, indie rockers and songwriters in Barcelona, and some old favorites whose voices never stop (looking at you, Buika!). Artists featured in this episode:(01:22) C. Tangana(04:19) Ralphie Choo(06:28) Mora(10:10) Bikôkô(13:52) Buika(16:04) Repion(20:42) Lucia Fumero(23:12) Maestro EspadaThis podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Country twang, Brazilian flow 15.07.2026 31λ

With last week's best-of show behind us, we've got a clean slate to dive into our favorite new music kicking off the second half of the year. Felix brings a batch of country tracks, while Ana -- to absolutely no one's surprise -- continues her exploration of Brazil's endless supply of captivating music. Catch a mesmerizing indie-ambient album from João Carvalho, some posthumous crooning from Raul Malo, the twangy return of Oklahoma's rising star Wyatt Flores, and much more.Artists and albums featured in this episode:(01:13) Cruz Contreras & The Black Lillies, 'Gold and Roses (Live)'(06:15) João Carvalho, 'Uma Festa no Centro do Vazio'(13:02) Raul Malo, 'Bella Ciao: Raul Malo Live In Nashville'(17:14) Rincon Sapiência, 'Um Corpo Preto'(24:13) Wyatt Flores, 'Scared of Heights'(27:50) Cupido, 'Maldito Cupido'This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The best Latin music of 2026 (so far) 08.07.2026 40λ

It’s that time of the year again: a mix between Christmas and Halloween for me and Felix. We gift you our best album picks of the year so far — and there’s nothing spookier for us than having to choose. So here it is, the music we’ve loved and listened to the most in the first half of 2026, some of the best (in our opinion) from all of Latin America and its diaspora. — Anamaria SayreArtist and albums featured in this episode:(02:15) Trueno - 'TURR4ZO'(07:06) Jonathan Suazo - 'Ricano Vol. 2: Fruto de mi Corazón'(11:16) Broke Carrey - 'HIJO DEL PAÍS'(15:48) X Alfonso - 'AIRE'(22:28) Silvia Pérez Cruz - 'Oral_Abisal'(29:30) Nuevos Rios - 'Nuevos Rios'(32:17) Criolo, Amaro Freitas & Dino d'Santiago - 'CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO'(37:33) Sofia Rei - 'Antónima'This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Mon Laferte's captivating coda 01.07.2026 29λ

On this week’s Alt.Latino, Anamaria and I both gush about 'Femme Fatale Vol. 2,' the new album from Chilean-Mexican singer Mon Laferte, who is on one of the more amazing creative streaks I've witnessed in a while. Also, Ana and I sometimes unintentionally align when picking new music for the show, and that took place this week with a couple of Brazilian highlights: I chose an artist who records as MOMO., while Ana brought in music from São Paulo-based artist Tijolo. Also this week, Chicago-based artist Sparklmami and an EP from Texan-Mexican singer Iveth Luna that got me thinking about the world of Spanish-language Christian music. —Felix ContrerasArtists & albums featured in this episode:(01:31) Sparklmami, 'in this body'(06:36) The Animeros, '¡Qué Bárbaro!'(09:51) Mon Laferte, 'Femme Fatale Vol. 2'(16:47) Iveth Luna, 'Making Ways'(21:34) Tijolo, 'Y'(25:37) MOMO., 'Tum Tum Tum'This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Otis Hart. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

They opened for Miles Davis and Sly Stone, then disappeared 24.06.2026 24λ

This week's episode is a musical time machine. In the late 1960s, the band Zapata sprang out of a street gang in northwest Washington, D.C., with a sound that combined a variety of contemporary styles: Afro-Caribbean rhythms, soul jazz and the golden era of American R&B. The mixture worked. For a few years, Zapata opened for an astonishing number of A-list acts passing through the city, like Miles Davis, Sly and the Family Stone, Herbie Hancock and The Isley Brothers. But the band would break up in 1974, and for years their recorded material was believed to be lost. Now, surviving member Pepe Gonzalez has restored a cassette tape of Zapata's music from 1971, and is releasing it for the first time. In this episode, Felix chats with Gonzalez about the origins of the band, and how they tried to unify the Black and Hispanic musical scenes in the city at the time.The podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Otis Hart. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The sounds of Cuban resilience 17.06.2026 21λ

We're living in a moment when the geopolitical intersects with the personal in a profound way. The relationship between the United States and Cuba is once again in the news, and it happens at a time when there are a handful of new releases from Cuban artists on the island and around the world. The sounds of the albums are vastly different, but they all draw from the same deep well of inspiration that has always fueled Cuban music: a deep love for the intersection of cultures. The music we share this week is a reminder of the very real lives of the people caught in the middle of a situation with an uncertain outcome. It is joyous, contemplative, rhythmically sophisticated and lyrically profound. Just like all Cuban music.Artists & songs featured in this episode:(00:52) OKAN, "Ajé (Owo Nla Nla)"(03:30) Ibeyo, "Aset"(06:45) Orquesta Akokán, "No Me Voy" (11:50) Cimafunk, "Cocinarte"(15:47) X Alfonso, "Unicornio"This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

A Tejano masterclass with El Gato Negro, Ruben Ramos 10.06.2026 26λ

Ruben Ramos' life story mirrors the history of what we now know as Tejano music. His family's musical roots in Texas go back to 1918, and as a boy he was brought into the family bands, first as a drummer and then as a vocalist. He's been playing big band-inflected Tejano music now for more than six decades, and just released a tribute album tracing that musical lineage, called 'Los Días de Calor.' In this episode, Felix chats with "El Gato Negro" Ramos about the history of Tejano music across the twentieth century, and how his own story fits inside of it. This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The Vaqueros of Hawaii 27.05.2026 33λ

We don’t often get to discuss the ways that Latin American music made its way west across the Pacific Ocean. But this week we have two incredible projects that celebrate that journey. First, a Japanese band that fuses traditional minyo folk sounds with cumbia and other Latin rhythms. Then, a project that unearths a forgotten history of the 19th century Mexican cowboys who went to Hawaii to help manage livestock.Plus, a tribute to Afro-Colombian folk legend Totó La Momposina, who passed away this month at 85; an underrated Puerto Rican reggaetonero shines again; and, of course, Ana continues her Brazilian obsession with new tracks from up-and-comer Bebé.Artists and albums featured in this episode:(00:55) Bebé - 'Dissolução'(05:45) Minya Crusaders - 'From Japan With Love'(10:06) Álvaro Díaz - 'OMAKASE'(17:35) Los Cenzontles - 'Adios Ke Aloha: Waves of the Same Sea'(23:05) Orestes Gomez - 'No me fui porque quise'(28:04) Totó La Momposina - VariousThis podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Gipsy Kings are back, Julieta Venegas' norteña roots and more 20.05.2026 36λ

Two different pioneers - from two different continents - are at the heart of this episode of new music. Since the late 1980s, Gipsy Kings have been infusing Catalan rumba flamenca with a pop sensibility that defies the purists. Their new single "Historia," from an upcoming album of the same name, shows they've still got that punchy danceability forty years on. And across the pond, Mexican rocker and songwriter Julieta Venegas explores the musical roots of her norteña heritage on a new album, playing with the biculturalism that defines so much of life along the border.Plus, Las Añez brings twin harmonies to Andean folk-pop, Helado Negro teams up with Reyna Tropical, Mexican upstart Esteesgarcia confounds Ana and Felix, and more!Artists & songs featured in this episode:(00:22) Las Añez - "Cebolla", "Libéralo"(05:21) Helado Tropical - "Tocando"(09:44) Esteesgarcia - "south kids", "Okupa"(14:35) Gipsy Kings - "Historia"(23:23) Julieta Venegas ft. Yahritza y Su Esencia - "La Línea"(25:53) bpuntito - "colitaderana", "después"(31:29) Ana Moura & MARO - "Era de Aquário/Deixa o Sol Entrar"This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Our favorite Latin Tiny Desk Contest entries 13.05.2026 31λ

Since 2014, we've been hitting bands up to send in their videos for the opportunity to win the Tiny Desk Contest. And almost from the beginning, Alt.Latino has been pulling aside the bands and artists that play Latin music. It’s always been a highlight to see the incredible talent that's out there night after night in bars, clubs, community centers, street parties and backyards, finding new ways to express their Latino identity through music. This year was no different.We waded through hundreds of entries to select the six to feature this week, which showcase a huge variety of musical expressions.And a reminder: you can see every band that sent in a video this year right here - and a big shout out to this year’s winner, Cure For Paranoia!Artists and songs featured in this episode:(04:10) Sofia Gomez, "Without Me"(07:58) Ed Harvest, "Me Toca Despedirme de Ti"(11:05) alegrías, "Wahoo!"(16:05) Ivan Llanes and Friends, "Cubahia"(22:27) Majo Puente, "MAKTUB"(25:56) Thee Almighty Majestics, "Última Noche"This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive director of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

El futuro es Milo J 06.05.2026 30λ

I've been dying to interview Argentine artist Milo J ever since he came to NPR earlier this year to perform at the Tiny Desk. The 19-year-old started his career as a trap artist, but his latest album, 'La Vida Era Más Corta,' mines Argentine folklore to present a bold vision of his country that resonates deeply with younger generations. That Tiny Desk was just released -- and became one of our fastest-growing shows ever -- so we figured the time was right to call up Milo J and dig into it all. And just a note up front: this interview is entirely in Spanish. Llevaba mucho tiempo con ganas de entrevistar al artista argentino Milo J desde que vino a NPR a principios de este año para tocar en Tiny Desk. Este joven de 19 años comenzó su carrera como artista de trap, pero su último álbum, 'La Vida Era Más Corta,' se inspira en el folclore argentino para presentar una visión audaz de su país que conecta profundamente con las generaciones más jóvenes. Ese Tiny Desk acaba de salir al aire y ya se ha convertido en uno de nuestros shows de mayor crecimiento, así que pensamos que era el momento ideal para llamar a Milo J y profundizarlo. Y una nota previa: esta entrevista es completamente en español.- Anamaria SayreYou can watch the full Tiny Desk performance at NPR.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Flamenco meets Música Mexicana 29.04.2026 27λ

Fusion is at the heart of so much of the music we cover - especially on this week's episode. Flamenco producers descend on Hermosillo to experiment with regional Mexican music. Young Argentine artists blend trap with folk and rock en Español. A sunny Rio sound is born in Spain. Plus, a New Mexican string band, an Afro-Brazilian collective and an exploration of Latin roots from Cypress Hill. Artists and albums featured in this episode:(02:26) Trueno, 'TURR4ZO'(09:37) Lone Piñon, 'Hot Carne Seca'(13:20) Chanela Clicka, 'COBRA'(18:50) Cypress Hill, 'Dios Bendiga'(22:30) Leo Middea, 'Notícias de Puglia'(25:28) Mandinga Beat, 'Afro-Brazil'This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Argentine indie, Venezuelan reggaeton and punk from San Antonio 22.04.2026 29λ

This week's new music show spans the breadth of Latin America. Argentine indie artist Paula Prieto goes experimental. Venezuelan reggaeton pioneers Chino y Nacho return to the limelight. Brazilian singer Marina B reminds Felix of The Beatles. Guatemala's Doctor Nativo pays homage to the "caminantes" heading north to find a better life. Plus, Latin punk from San Antonio, and a celebration of Afro-Cuban legend Arsenio Rodriguez.Artists and albums featured in this episode:(00:46) Chino y Nacho, 'Radio Venezuela'(05:30) FEA, 'Careful'(10:11) Paula Prieto, 'TEMPORAL, LP.'(16:27) Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, 'Arsenio And Beyond'(22:30) Midnight Cafe & Marina B, 'À Flor da Pele (Lonely Man)'(25:34) Doctor Nativo & Roco Pachukote, 'Caminantes'This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Jorge Drexler returns home 15.04.2026 31λ

Jorge Drexler is one of the most decorated singer-songwriters in Latin America. His albums are always high profile events, and his latest record merits the attention. It's called Taracá, and to make it he returned home to his native Uruguay - after living in Spain for 30 years - to explore the roots of an Afro-Uruguayan tradition known as candombe. On this week's episode we chat with Drexler about the motivation for returning to his home country, making music after losing his parents, and how the album's title reflects the sound made by a candombe drum.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Sonic Bloom: Fresh, funky new tracks from Rio, Granada and more 08.04.2026 31λ

Listen to this episode out in the springtime air. It starts with a bucolic jaunt through Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento's latest orchestral project, then finds La Plazuela's fresh Spanish funk and Macha's irreverent side project. Other sounds along the way: Caribbean pop from Venezuela, feel-your-feels indie from northern Mexico and an electronic spin on the indigenous Náhuatl language.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Dominican indie, Peruvian cumbia and experimental Argentine pop 01.04.2026 32λ

Two phrases spoken during this week’s episode stand out because they represent how Ana and I approach our searches for new music. The first: “The only limit is the imagination.” In my constant hunt for the sound I have never heard, this thought is my mantra. The new music we’re bringing this week really steps up to that challenge, from young upstarts like Broke Carrey to beloved veterans like Draco Rosa.The second phrase? “Latin music is a geography, not a genre.” Ana put into words something she and I talk about often, the idea that the term “Latin music” is no longer adequate to reflect that amazingly eclectic forms of musical expression in the Spanish-speaking world. This episode features musicians from Argentina, Peru, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere -- but what they share is a distinct artistic expression that consistently blows our minds.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Songs she loves: Sofia Rei and the magic of the human voice 25.03.2026 27λ

From the very beginning of Alt.Latino, female vocalists have captivated us the most -- and New York-based Argentine vocalist Sofia Rei has been high on our list of favorites for a while. She uses the human voice like paint on a canvas, layering voices to create choirs that take flight at the mere suggestion of a melody. On her new album Antónima, she not only creates magic with her own voice but also collaborates with some Alt.Latino favorites: Gaby Moreno, Daymé Arocena and Xenia Rubinos, among others. As we revive our Guest DJ series, we asked her to bring on some of the songs she loves, for an insider's perspective of the art behind the human voice. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

A Tejano master gets his flowers. Plus, Yahritza y Su Esencia returns 18.03.2026 31λ

This week's new music pairs well with a glass of wine - or, at least, that's what Ana chose while taping this happy hour edition of Alt.Latino at Felix's dining room table. And the music on tap spans a huge breadth of styles. Yahritza y Su Esencia returns with a powerful sophomore album after a spell out of the limelight. Brazilian legend-in-the-making Lucas Santtana collaborates with his mentor Gilberto Gil. Ana Tijoux revisits her late-'90s hip-hop roots. Plus, Tejano master Ruben Ramos tells his life story through song. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

If the singer falls silent, life falls silent: The female power anthem hall of fame 11.03.2026 34λ

International Women's Day is more than a perfunctory holiday in many parts of Latin America. In Mexico City, for example, more than 120,000 people turned out on Sunday to protest femicide and celebrate the ongoing fight for basic rights for women in the country. In honor of the holiday, this week's episode debuts our female power anthems hall of fame, highlighting women in Latin music whose art challenged the status quo of their time. Plus, some on-the-ground reporting from Anamaria Sayre at the march in Mexico City.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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