Alt.Latino

Alt. Latino is usually all about sharing new music across Latin America, but what about the older cuts Ana and Felix are obsessed with? On this episode, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras share the music they've been playing on repeat, from beloved classics by greats like Ella Fitzgerald to surprising new discoveries out of Mexico like Paloma Morphy. Songs featured in this episode: •Paloma Morphy,...

Wait a minute — does Alt. Latino actually agree with a lot of the Latin Recording Academy's nominations this year? Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run through as many of the whopping 58 categories as they can in this episode dissecting the nominations for the upcoming ceremony. Songs featured in this episode: •Grupo Frontera, "CANSADO DE SUFRIR" •Grupo Fronter...

This week on Alt. Latino, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras talk about an exciting new album from Manu Chao on the way — his first in 17 years — and their favorite recent songs from artists like the Dominican indie rock band Solo Fernández, ethereal pop from Tiny Desk Contest Winner Linda Diaz and more. Ana and Felix are starting something new this week. Felix always says it, but it's not a Mexic...

'El Tiny' season at the Tiny Desk launches next week and this year it's all about love — familial and romantic, with drama fit for a telenovela. Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras preview this year's line-up, sharing a sneak peek at what 2024's 'El Tiny' has to offer. Songs featured in this episode: •Juanes, "Mala Gente" •Juanes, "A Dios Le Pido" •Ivan Cornejo, "Ya Te Perdí" •Okan, "Okantomi" •Ela...

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras play some of their favorite new songs from the last few months, featuring globe-spanning electronica from Colombian producer Sinego, border-crossing new music from La Doña, nuanced salsa from Spanish Harlem Orchestra and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Adrian Quesada, "Dos Manos" •Nancy Sanchez, "You Are" •Sinego, "Quema" •Sinego, Pahua, "Sol" •Spanish Har...

Over the past month thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets to protest the disputed election of president Nicolás Maduro, while Venezuelan artists like Danny Ocean use music to reflect on this political moment. But Ocean's work is just one data point in a long history of music from Venezuela that embodies the political opinions and emotions of those within the country and the diaspora....

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre run through their favorite new music, including new work from Venezuelan artist Danny Ocean in the midst of the country's political crisis, Girl Ultra leaning into her techno side, funky, electro-cumbia from Superfónicos and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Superfónicos, "Renaceré" •Girl Ultra, "lalala" •Fuerza Regida, "TUQLO" •Danny Ocean, "por la pequeña...

The genre commonly referred to as "Chicano soul" has that "you know it if you hear it" kind of sound. It's a bicultural interpretation of late 1950s and early '60s African American R&B ballads by Mexican American youth, influenced by the operatic style of Mexican rancheras. Broken hearts, unrequited love and loving the wrong person are often the main themes. Real talk: it's the smooth, bilingual v...

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new tracks, including heartbroken music from Omar Apollo, a mix of jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican sounds from Papo Vazquez and a controversial new merengue electrónico track from Karol G. Songs featured in this episode: •Omar Apollo, "Empty" •Los Cenzontles, "Different Drum" •Mabe Fratti, "Oidos" and "Intento fallido" •Karol G, "Si Antes Te Hu...

Even if you don't know Edgar Barrera's name, you know his work. The multiple Grammy-winning writer and producer has worked with dozens of the biggest names in Latin music — Bad Bunny, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo — the list goes on. But he's also one of the main forces pushing regional Mexican into the mainstream over the past few years, and turning Pan-Latin sounds into pop perfection. This week on Al...

To mark the halfway point of 2024, Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR Culture Desk producer Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run down their favorite releases of the year so far, from a career-defining release from Nathy Peluso, a leveling up from Argentine rapper Trueno, introspective jazz from Melissa Aldana and so much more. Songs featured in this episode: •Trueno, "Tranky Funky" •Kali Uchis, "Dame...

The Library of Congress' National Recording Registry is more than just a collection of music and sound — it's a reflection of who we are as a country. In April, two new Spanish language songs were added to the registry: Juan Gabriel's "Amor Eterno" and Héctor Lavoe's "El Cantante." This week on Alt. Latino, Felix and Ana take the opportunity to dive into the Spanish language songs that have made i...

Ana and Felix collect their favorite recent releases from the past few months, including new material from the breakout regional band Grupo Frontera, a country/Latin cross-over in the music of Wyatt Flores, a new song from groundbreaking rapper Mala Rodriguez and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, "Mas Que Nada" •Luis Muñoz, "Crescent Moon" •Mala Rodriguez, "Casi Na...

It's the 10th annual Tiny Desk contest and there's been a strong showing of Latin artists behind desks across the United States and Puerto Rico. Felix and Ana sifted through all the entries and pulled their favorites from artists with roots all across the Americas. And if one of them ends up winning, you can thank us for the introduction. Songs featured in this episode: •Cathia, "Taza de Café" •Ma...

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras round up their favorite new music, from Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko's boundary-pushing new music, to Alejandro Escovedo's genre-bending rock and Angelica Garcia's electro-cumbia. Songs featured in this episode: • Young Miko, "Tamagotchi" • The Mavericks, "Moon & Stars (with Sierra Ferrell)" • Angélica Garcia, "Juanita" • Alejandro Escovedo, "Castañuelas" • Nel...

The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt. Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country? This week, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras travel to Austin, Texas to speak with AmeriChicana musician Carrie Rodriguez about the difference between violin and fiddle, strings and "s...

Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran , and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt. Latino puts the record to the test. Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento talk about what makes a Shakira record a Shakira record , how pop artists reinvent themselves and loving your favorite artists even if you don...

The weather's heating up and so are the music releases. The hosts of Alt. Latino share their most quintessentially them picks, with Latin jazz across the board from Felix and indie pop-rock bops from Ana. The two sit down to ping-pong favorite picks back and forth from different parts of the country — plus, Felix puts Ana's picks to an impromptu test. Featured tracks: Lara Project, "Extraños" Juli...

Is it really a good idea to take a vacation with your coworkers? If you're part of the Alt. Latino team, it is. Last month Alt. Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre decided to join Felix Contreras on a planned trip to attend the 39th annual Havana Jazz Festival, an international event that attracts fans of both Cuban music and jazz from around the world. Spread out among several historic venues around th...

As the chill remains in the air for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and the heat of summer warms up the South, we take time to listen to new music from both parts of the world. Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new music, including Southern Cone rock and cumbia, atmospheric vocals from the U.S. and even some delicate yet emotionally powerful music from the Catalan r...

Nothing captures the agony of love, loss, hope and redemption like the song form known across all of Latin America: the bolero. Last December, UNESCO declared the bolero "an intangible cultural heritage of humanity" and "an indispensable part of the Latin American sentimental song." And given that Valentine's Day is coming up, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre did something special this week, in...

Vocalist Ana Tijoux has been a frequent guest on Alt. Latino. That's because ever since her US debut, 1977 , was released in 2010, Tijoux had been at the forefront of Latin music that celebrates creative innovation, themes of social justice and fierce independence. In this week's episode the Chilean musician talks to Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre about why that spirit of innovation has been m...

In the earliest days of the show, Alt. Latino's mailbox was usually piled high with CDs of new music from both emerging and well-known artists. Now, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre's email and social media accounts continue to open up new musical worlds at Alt. Latino and — in turn — all of you. The show starts 2024 with some great tracks from names you may know and a couple of bands that Felix...

While 2022 may have been a year completely dominated by a certain sad summer reggaeton album, 2023 drew its power from a set of familiar sounds that took on new prominence: tubas, accordions and a whole lot of lively, sneakily danceable beats. As we've been talking about on Alt. Latino for some time, Mexican Regional music broke through in a big way this year, and we found it incredible to witness...

You know all those tubas and brass instruments you hear behind your favorite regional Mexican hits? That's banda sinaloense and this week Alt. Latino wraps up the Regional Goes Global series with a visit to Sinaloa, Mexico, the birthplace of the genre. Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras visit the picturesque town Mocorito, a pueblo magico where tradition and pride in the musical heritage runs deep...