It’s long days, and even longer nights when summer rolls around! You’ve got heat coming at you from every direction: summer blockbusters, pool parties galore and vacations aplenty. We’ll stick to what we know (music) and shine a light on some heaters for this summer weekend.
We must also give a summer hammock-sized shoutout to all the dads out there celebrating Father’s Day – we got you covered!
Sofi Tukker & Bomba Estéreo – “Playa Grande”
First up, is this insanely rad collaboration between Sofi Tukker & Bomba Estéreo. "Playa Grande" conjures up the spirits of 80’s club bangers - ala Miami Sound Machine - and gets Bomba’s signature Carribean-electro vacilón vibes slapped on top of it. All driven by a sick bass line that lets you know summer is here.
Now, if you’re scratching your head and asking, “wait, who are these bands?” You haven’t been paying attention! Grammy-nominees, Sofi Tukker had a huge hit in 2017 with their song “Best Friend” as the theme song to the iPhone X commercial (monster jam)! As for Bomba Estéreo, they are at the top of the electro-tropical food chain, having toured with Arcade Fire and getting both Latin Grammy and Grammy noms as well. The video is the embodiment of the party we all wish we were going to every single weekend. It’s a tri-lingual track that is caliente!
Tijuana Panthers – “Little Pamplemousse”
We pivot with a hard left on this next track, but still keep it upbeat. The experimental garage poppers from Long Beach, Tijuana Panthers, are back with a new album due out July 12th. The album is jam-packed with summertime vibes, peaks of punk rock, and their nonconforming attitude.
The lead single, “Little Pamplemousse,” is a surf-rocking earwig, composed for drummer’s new son Levi, who reminded him of a small grapefruit. It’s a short and sweet song but I guarantee the weekend is not long enough for the amount of times you will be putting this jam on repeat.
Santana – “Breaking Down The Door” (feat. Buika)
There’s no denying that guitar master Carlos Santana is a treasure. His band Santana has had impactful albums across four decades and they performed at the original Woodstock for crying out loud!
Earlier this month, Santana released their 25th album, Africa Speaks. They focus on their love and appreciation for Afrobeat, which has always played a role in their music, but was the sole focus for this LP. The album was produced by Rick Rubin, and as is often the case, Carlos’s sultry guitar riffs play a major role in most of the compositions.
“Breaking Down the Door” is the perfect way to end your raucous weekend. ‘Vibes. Vibes. Vibes.’ as Mario Cotto would say.
Bonus Father’s Day tracks. Lean back, sip a coldie, and get your relaxed jam on.
Wilco - "Impossible Germany"
Kamasi Washington - "Street Fighter Mas"
The War On Drugs - "An Ocean In Between The Waves"