We're always scanning the global music scene in search of great sounds to share with our listeners, and we've recently happened upon a goodie! La Yegros, aka Mariana Yegros, splits her time between the south of France and her homeland of Argentina, and while the French side lends a certain romanticism and cosmopolitan flair to her music, it is her Argentine side that makes her sophomore album, Magnetismo, the remarkable record it is. Transcending the male-dominated electro-cumbia scene in Buenos Aires, La Yegros sounds perfectly at home with blending folk traditions with up-to-the-minute sounds filtered throughout her album.
Collaborations with Argentinian legend Gustavo Santaollala, Brazilian Girls' Sabina Sciubba, her longtime producer King Coya and other add to the fun. Our own music blog contributor, Pan Caliente's Jose Galvan says one of the album's centerpiece songs, “'Chicha Roja' brings that magical cumbia energy unmatched by any other genre. This track has a vitality that compels and inspires movement through dance. Its chorus expresses a burning desire for Chicha, the homemade drink from the Andes, that, when fermented, is known to erode inhibitions and would be akin to beer at a party. It’s essentially a party jam with a fresh sound, in a way that going back to basics can be refreshing after so many have tried to hybridize it. If you find yourself dancing along to this jam, don’t be alarmed; cumbia has been known to do that to pretty much… everyone." So dance away!
-Eric J. Lawrence