“First Stream Latin” is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Greeicy, “Los Consejos” (Universal Music Latin)
Hunkered down in Colombia because of the coronavirus quarantine, Greeicy continues creating music with accompanying heartfelt videos. Following “Los Besos,” released in the midst of lockdown, the Colombian pop artist presents “Los Consejos.” The romantic ballad-turned-pop with hints of vallenato and reggaeton is about life lessons and the importance of following advice from your loved ones. “Mama told me to be careful because you can lose what you neglect, and she was right,” Greeicy chants. “It hurts to love you and you’re so far/ I had faith that we would grow old together.” In its melancholic lyrics, Greeicy tells the story of a person who regrets ending a relationship. “Today, more than ever, the advice hurts.” In a music video directed by Dario Burbano, we see Greeicy flaunting a cream top with ruffled sleeves and a fuchsia-colored skirt as she performs the song in an outdoor scenery. — JESSICA ROIZ
Georgel “Adrenalina” feat. Nanpa Básico (The Sixth House/EMPIRE)
Mexican singer-songwriter Georgel provides an escape with his energetic and edgy “Adrenalina” in collaboration with Colombian rapper Nanpa Básico. With Georgel’s smooth vocals at the forefront, the track fuses rhythmic beats and R&B. “‘Adrenalina’ for me means that additional push I need to re-invent myself in every song and all the aspects of my existence. It’s soul and R&B that feed my passions. [This song] is an invitation to break out of those stereotypes,” says Georgel, newly-signed to EMPIRE (Iggy Azalea, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg). The virtual reality video finds Georgel and Nanpa Básico in a futuristic warehouse in the middle of a scientific experimentation. The clip was recorded between Mexico, Colombia and the United States. — GRISELDA FLORES
Monte, “Mirla” (The Orchard)
Play pause and proceed to close your eyes. Allow yourself to plunge deep into Simón Mejía’s sonic world as he transforms the complexity of the haunting echoes of the Colombian jungle through the stirring-pipping voice of the mirla, a tropical-type mockingbird native of Bogotá’s savanna which visited his terrace. Paired with electronica and tightened by the captivating sweet chords of the charango by Juan José Salazar, the mirla shifts the flow of the air segueing from whispered morning conversation to nocturnal chirps in its own mysterious dialect. “Mirla” is the first single and the title track by Monte, the parallel first solo project by the leader and founder of Colombian ensemble Bomba Estéreo, due out Aug. 21. The song, which arrives with a kaleidoscopic visual clip directed by Simon Hernández, was written by Mejía and Salazar and produced by Mejía. It was recorded at Bosques de Torca in Bogotá. — PAMELA BUSTIOS
Zion & Lennox, “All Night” (Warner Music Latina)
Zion & Lennox dropped their latest single and video “All Night,” inspired by the lockdown. With innovative fusions of Afrobeat, a sensual reggaeton and ’80s pop, the Puerto Rican duo sings about reuniting with that special someone after the quarantine. “I miss you/ The quarantine is over/ Since when don’t we see each other?” Zion chants on the track. A retro-inspired music video, directed by 36 Grados, raises awareness on the importance of wearing your mask and practicing social distancing in public or when meeting up with loved ones. Watch it below. — J.R.
Richie Hell featuting Los Mirlos, “Amazonia” (Sweat Records Records)
Ushered by the cosmic sonority of the tropical jungle with the versatile vocalization of its avian crooners, Argentinian Richie Hell’s “Amazonía” arrives as a blind-folded roller coaster ride with all of the lively textures of the psychedelic Peruvian cumbia looming out of the roots of the Amazonian trees. The second single off the DJ, producer/musician’s forthcoming full-length, The Gumbo Limbo Experiment, features Peruvian legends Los Mirlos founding members Don Jorge Rodriguez on vocals and Danny Johnston on guitar, iconic pioneers of the chicha harmonics of the ’70s. The psychedelic tune pairs well with the hallucinogenic audio-visual animated and directed by Kent Hernández, with art by visual artist Francisca Oyhanarte. — P.B.
