Pan Caliente: Mexican duo Sotomayor's electro-cumbia blend

El pan de hoy, will be a freshly minted tune by Mexican duo Sotomayor. I am weary of labeling them an electro-cumbia outfit because they have a much denser combination of sounds. There’s the cumbia element, the pounding electronic basslines, but then there is also a rock ‘n’ roll urgency that sets them apart from other electro-cumbia bands and projects.

Raul & Paulina, the brother and sister duo that comprise Sotomayor, are on the heels of the release of their third album. Origenes due out early 2020, will be co-produced by two time Latin Grammy Producer of the Year winner, Eduardo Cabra (aka Visitante of the Puerto Rican giant, Calle 13). That alone places this release into the upper echelon of the Latin music stratosphere. And, quite merited, from what is heard on their first single.

“Quema,” begins as a cumbia, with a prevailing guira, a bouncing bassline, and all the groove that this duo has established on prior releases. However, once vocalist Paulina comes in, it turns this would be cumbia into a dense, sensual dance track. Sotomayor’s sensibility for melody once again allows them to fuse traditional Latin sounds with modern music components in a very organic way. And Producer Cabra’s influence is probably most prevalent in this song with the participation of Totin “Arará” Agosto, one of Puerto Rico’s most loved singers and composers.

“Quema,” out now on all platforms via Wonderwheel Recordings, aspires to be musica callejera (street music) that can be bumped in the club.

Escucha y baila!