November 26, 2020
Especial 11.25
This past weekend I was sent a video for an upcoming session for this new community organization called The Salt Lick - hosting sessions with local bands in their studio, called The Pond. Their first band to grace the Pond is an up and coming band, Immigrant's Child, who also happen to be releasing a new EP tomorrow... check the preview:
...so, obviously a band we need to know of here on Especial - and thankfully I was able to play a tune from the self-titled EP! Also new music from Nanpa Basico de Medellin, Colombia - the last time we heard from him was over the summer with a single, but he's also just released a new album, Unicornio. This week also saw the return of Bomba Estéreo. Frontman and bassist Simón Mejía worked on a new documentary - Sonic Forest - documentary that spotlights the natural and musical richness of Colombia's Pacific coast and the communities safeguarding the region's forests (and that's presented by Joaquin Phoenix - yeah that one). BE of course wrote the theme for the documentary, featuring Afro-Colombiana, Nidia Góngora:
All in all, a beautiful week that also ushered in the announcement of Denver's Los Mocochetes upcoming video for "Rocks," Lido Pimienta being nominated for a dang GRAMMY, and more!
Playlist:
Los Mocochetes - Rocks Single
Immigrant's Child - Maybe Immigrant's Child EP
Combo Chimbita - Ahomale Ahomale
Lido Pimienta - Nada ft. Li Saumet Miss Colombia
Bomba Estereo - Dejame Respirar ft. Nidia Gongora Sonic Forest
Nelson D - A Grande Revolta Em Sua Propria Terra
Pink Hawks - Occupy Single
Pahua - Vayayo Single
Neoma & Alkaloides - Perfil Single
Nanpa Basico - No Se Que Somos Unicornio
Karol G - Bichota Single
Olmeca - El Cambio Single
2MX2 - Si Se Puede ft. Rebel Diaz Single
Juana Molina - Un Dia Punk ANRMAL
Los Cogelones - Yaotecatl Hijos Del Sol
Fucking City - Difficult Experience Demos
November 24, 2020
Comunidad Guest DJ: Desiree Ortega-Stange
Provided by Guest
This week's Guest DJ from la comunidad is Desiree Ortega-Stange. An Aztec danzante and leader in the Chicano Community here in Denver. I actually met Des when she and her husband held ceremony for some friends who were married by the two. I had seen Des and her family at different community events at La Raza Park and more, so I'm grateful to be able to showcase her community work here this week.
Get to know Des a bit better, and check out her fire playlist below of 10 songs she's inspired by!
| What do you do in the Denver community: I am an 23 year Indigenous Aztec dancer in the Denver community and Licensed massage therapist. Tell me more about your background: I am a proud born Denverite born right smack in the middle of Denver just a hop skip and jump from the old Mile High Stadium in the Sun Valley projects which are getting torn down as we speak. I love the Denver community, being involved in community is in my blood coming from a mother who marches with the Chicano Crusades for Justice. Tell me more about your Latinidad: I am a proud Chicana/Indigenous woman who has been involved in community since the age of 16, when I joined a group called Semillas se la Manana for young girls who are trying to get out of gangs or avoid joining gangs, and at the time found the Danza (Aztec), and then started my education in my ancestors, and the importance of the youth know where they originate and having pride in that. Why does representation matter in your community work: My opinion has always been, as Chicana/ Indigenous woman, to make a direct impact on the community as a whole is to instill in my children this same knowledge and pride in where our ancestors are from and who they were. What is one way the community can uplift Latin work/voices/art: Again I think the best way to uplift the LatinX/Chicano/Indigenous voice/work and art is through education. All forms - not only school, but in our homes, starting with educating our adults. Latinos supporting Latinos, buying from mom and pop or small businesses ran and owned by Latinos. |
November 19, 2020
Especial 11.18
This week's Especial turned into a dance party. It's been needed, no? I've also got a brand new song in each set. Usually I try to focus on maybe one or two new releases a week to give them the spotlight, but there was simply no choosing this week. And from all over the place!
Karol G de Colombia:
Olmeca de Los Angeles:
Carabobina de Brazil:
Pahua de Mexico (and one half of the band, Sotomayor):
Vale de Colombia:
Xenia Rubinos de Connecticut:
Y claro, 2MX2.
YOU try choosing just one or two. You can't and it's alright - everything belongs here on Especial.
Playlist
2MX2 - Si Se Puede ft. Rebel Diaz Single
Karol G. - Bichota Single
Eric & Kah Li - Jelly Single
La Dame Blanche - La Mentalista Ella
Olmeca - El Cambio Single
Lolita - Toda Mi Gente Remix ft. Big Samir of the Reminders Single
Nina Dioz y Hispana - Mezcal Single
Carabobina - Em Dezombro Carabobina
Nina de Freitas - If I Lead Will You Follow Single
Dom La Nena - Tiene Su Fin Tempo
Ife - Music for Egun Movement 2 Ashe BOgbo EgunThe Living Dead EP
Pahua - Vayayao Single
Nelson D - A Grande Revolta Em Sua Propria Terra
Leon de las Florez - LetemB El Leon Se Salio EP
Vale - Puente Single
Helado Negro - Lotta Love ft. Flock of Dimes Single
Neoma y Pastizales - Vuello8110
Xenia Rubinos - Who Shot Ya? Single
November 13, 2020
Chicano Batman Live from The Hollywood Bowl
Soooo we all miss live music. I particularly miss the bois in Chicano Batman (best UMS 2019? Maybe.) The last time I saw Chicano Batman was about a year ago, at the Tropicália Music and Taco Festival en LA (overview of the weekend here), where they formally announced the new album, Invisible People, and debuted three new songs (do not remember which ones, I was just so excited for a new album, honestly).
Invisible People came out on May 1, 3 months after the pandemic hit California officially - and although they'd announced a tour with Le Butcherettes (with a show slated for Denver on May 16th), that obviously never transpired. And although they've played several streamed sessions, their first set on a stage took place with SOUND/STAGE at the famed Hollywood Bowl (you know, where the Beatles also performed, nbd). Beautiful shots of the venue and... at least some semblance of a live CB set.
The band does have their Invisible People tour scheduled for 2021 (May 20! Denver!) SO WEAR YA DAMN MASKS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GO (and more importantly save our beloved venues).
Check out my interview with the full band about Invisible People with a walk through each song, too:
November 12, 2020
Especial 11.11
Oh what's this? Musica nuevo y local de 2MX2? You betcha. I spoke with them last Friday about this brand new single on the Indie 102.3 Instagram, and "Si Se Puede" featuring Rebel Diaz will be released this Friday, with a video coming! 2MX2 is a former Local 303 band, and of course, we've been bumpin' their last single, "Elevator," featuring Aja Black of the Colorado Springs band, The Reminders:
Earlier this week was el cumpleaños de mi reina, Alice Bag. Earlier this year she released a new album, Sister Dynamite, and I got to do a guest DJ session with her (ay wey!) where she told me about some of her new favorite punk rock femmes, which you can hear here.
These past few weeks have been SO good for new music, so we're playing catch up this week!
Playlist
Los Mocochetes - Rocks Single
2MX2 - Si Se Puede ft. Rebel Diaz Single
La Dame Blanche - La Mentalista Ella
Dom La Nena - Tiene Su Fin Tempo
Neoma y Pastizales - Single
Helado Negro - Lotta Love ft. Flock of Dimes Single
Omar Apollo - Kamikaze Apolonio
Nina De Freitas - If I Lead Will You Follow Single
Sofia Valdes - Handful of Water Ventura EP
Lolita - Toda Mi Gente ft. Big Samir of the Reminders
Ife - Music For Egun Movement 2 Ashe Bogbo EgunThe Living Dead EP
Leon de las Florez - LetemB El Leon Se Salio EP
Nelson D - A Grande Revolta Em Sua Propria Terra
Los Cogelones - Yaotecatl Hijos Del Sol
Juana Molina - Un Dia Punk ANRMAL
Alice Bag - Spark Sister Dynamite
Fucking City - Difficult Experience demos
November 5, 2020
Especial 11.4
Que semana, eh? Thankfully, I was introduced to maybe my new favorite banda on election night - Los Cogelones. Un grupo de Nezahualcóyotl MX (outside of Teotihuacán: home of la avenida del muertos - the Aztec site of the Sun, Moon, and Quetzecoatl Templos) celebrates their Mexica Indigeneity and blends it with hardcore punk. That sentence makes my heart flutter, and their music - pues:
What the ever loving - am I right!?
Also new music this week from Helado Negro, who invites Flock of Dimes on a cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love." This marks Roberto's first release under his new home at legendary record label, 4AD (felicidades!!). Fun fact - Devendra Banhart also does backing vocals on the song. I love that we live in a world where - despite a global pandemic, collaboration and music celebration is still so strong.
Dom La Nena has also released a new single, and announced a new release, Tempo; the Los Angeles rapper, Olmeca is set to release a new single - but first, we check out his 2019 release, Define, y muchos musicas locales!
Playlist
Los Mocochetes - Que Viva Revolucion Single
Helado Negro - Lotta Love ft. Flock of Dimes Single
Nina De Freitas - Keeps Me Coming Back Single
Sofia Valdes - Handful of Water Ventura EP
Lolita - Toda Mi Gente ft. Big Samir Single
Ana Tijoux - Antifa Dance Antifa Dance
Omar Apollo - Kamikaze Apolonio
Neoma y Pastizales - Vuello8110 Single
Bandalos Chinos - El Idolo Single
Dom La Nena - Tiene Su Fin Tempo
Ife - Music for Egun Movement 2 Ashe Bogbo EgunThe Living Dead EP
2MX2 - Elevator Single
Olmeca - El Solitario Define
Pink Hawks - Occupy Single
Nelson D - A Grande Revolta Em Sua Propria Terra
Los Cogelones - Yaotecatl Hijos Del Sol
Juana Molina - Un Dia Punk ANRMAL
