5 New Songs to Listen to This Week From Farruko to Los Wálters
This is a weekly compilation of bite-sized song and EP reviews from our music writers. Discover new favs, read nuanced criticism of the week’s hottest releases, and more. This week, some of the featured artists include Farruko, Los Wálters, and Lienzos. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Farruko – “Pepas (King Doudou Bouyon Remix)”
One of the indisputable musical highlights of 2021 was Farruko’s ode to chemical-enhanced partying by the name of “Pepas.” But King Doudou, a producer who knows a thing or two about party music, renewed the power of the song. In his hands, “Pepas” becomes a frantic rush somewhere between happy hardcore and electronic merengue. This limited edition remix sums up the nervous feeling of facing an uncertain new year. – Marcos Hassan
Los Wálters – “Dinamarca”
Following the release of their double-stuffed Miss Universos LP, Boricua synthpop dynamos Los Wálters are capping an already stacked 2021 with a thumping new single titled “Dinamarca.” The track hones in on the lost-in-the-woods feeling we now experience on a daily basis, leaning into the darker industrial sound cultivated on songs like “Pop Sin Tí” and “Antifaz,” and celebrating the end of yet another emotionally turbulent year. – Richard Villegas
Lienzos – “Contando Estrellas”
With her new single “Contando Estrellas,” Venezuela’s Lienzos empties her stash of older songs to close a chapter in her career before moving on to making new music. Originally recorded in 2020, this lovely sparse electronic pop jam overflows with optimism. Lienzos dreams night and day about a special someone, but she focuses on the beauty of their connection rather than worrying about what might come out of it. She takes a leap of faith while holding on tight to hope. – Cheky
Solo Fernández, Gaby de los Santos – “Lugar”
Dominican indie rockers Solo Fernández have enjoyed a banner year, steadily recovering from pandemic stagnation with numerous festival performances and a string of groovy new cuts from their forthcoming EP, expected for release in early 2022. Their latest single is “Lugar,” an atmospheric, math-rock flavored collaboration with acoustic indie-pop pixie Gaby de lo Santos, meditating on fleeting moments of magic that should be cherished lest we never experience them again. – Richard Villegas
El Club de Amigos Los Mejores del Amor – “Octavita en El Pozón”
Maracaibo trio El Club De Amigos Los Mejores del Amor once again finds power in being candid and keeping things as local as possible. For the first preview of their forthcoming Volumen III album, “Octavita en El Pozón,” they took the hilarious ad that serves as the single’s cover art to develop an indie rock tale of a hopeful man dressed up and ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve at a traditional Maracaibo venue, only for his wife to shatter his dreams of drinking beer and dancing to gaita. Tears and laughter are guaranteed here. – Cheky
