“Aww naw we ain’t finished!”
Maybe you thought we forgot. And maybe we thought we forgot too. But turns out… we didn’t!
As we’ve done the past couple years, along with all the Top DJ lists, we also bring you our favorite Top 10 Musica Indie albums of the year.
Prospero Año Nuevo y’all!
10) Pajaro – He matado al Ángel: A perfect rockabilly album from a seasoned veteran of Rock ‘n Roll. Spain, for the win.
RIYL: Guadalupe Plata, Paté de Fuá
9) Fernando Milagros – Nuevo Sol: This standout troubadour sits obscured amidst Chile’s electronic renaissance, and yet delivers solid album after solid album.
RIYL: Siddhartha, Gepe
8) Los Waldners – Malas decisiones: Alt pop from Costa Rica with some real earwig tendencies. Short but sweet. Lather, rinse, repeat.
RIYL: Little Jesus, Los Punsetes
7) Marineros – O Marineros: Delicate, shoe gaze, pop, with a minimalist approach that makes for a perfect album to enjoy start to finish.
RIYL: Solange, Alex Anwandter
6) Helado Negro – Private Energy: An ethereal and boldly experimental offering form a true artist. Great example of the bicultural, bilingualism that makes Musica Indie such an interesting genre.
RIYL: Devendra Banhart, Pablo Malaurie,
5) iLe – iLevitable: The solo breakout, delivered a sensational, almost impossible to classify, album. Vivid imagery coupled with salsa, jazz, boogaloo and boleros, make this one of our favorites for the year.
RIYL: Gaby Moreno, La Santa Cecilia
4) Marrón – Etc.: Every year brings with it a surprise standout that we previously didn’t know existed. Well, we still don’t know much about the band, but we had to include them in our list since their knack for solid grooves created a phenomenal album. Definitely a must listen.
RIYL: Zoé, alt-J
3) M.A.K.U. Soundsystem – Mezcla: This spruced up Cumbia with World Beat influence and funky instrumentals had us jamming all year long. Makes for a very good party album!
RIYL: Antibalas, Chicha Libre
2) Miss Garrison – Al Sol de noche: Moody pop from Chile with opaque sequences and an impressive vocalist. If there was a perfect album to just push play to during the somber musical losses of 2016, this was it.
RIYL: Hælos, Juan Son
1) 424 – Siempre Mar: Our favorite album of the year by far. It’s freshmen predecessor, as good as it was, did not hint at what this Costa Rican band had lined up. As an album, it exemplifies how Rock en Español and Latin alternative have influenced greatly what we have now called Musica Indie. Merits a listen or… 10.
RIYL: Tame Impala, Cerati