All Songs Considered

Alt.Latino: The beauty of simplicity

October 22, 2025

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  • The episode of *All Songs Considered*'s *Alt.Latino* segment focuses on clearing out a backlog of new music, emphasizing the theme of "simple beauty" found in the selections. 
  • The hosts highlight the lyrical depth and simple yet captivating melodies of young Veracruz songwriter Arath Herce, whose work has earned high praise from established Latin music figures. 
  • The episode features a diverse selection of Latin music, including the bolero-influenced sounds of iLe, the offbeat production of Madrid's TRISTAN!, the percussion-focused project Venezonix ft. Pahua, the solo debut from Cafe Tacuba's Meme de Real, and a celebratory track from Bomba Estereo ft. Carlos Vives dedicated to Santa Marta. 

Segments

Show Introduction and Mailbag Focus
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(00:00:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts of Alt.Latino are emerging from a busy month, including the El Tiny takeover, to address a backlog of new music in their mailbag.
  • Summary: The hosts acknowledge a recent period of intense activity, including Tiny Desk concerts and interviews. They are dedicating this episode of Alt.Latino to clearing out accumulated new music submissions. Felix Contreras and Ana Maria Sayer introduce the segment as a return to their core focus after a whirlwind month.
Arath Herce’s Simple Beauty
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(00:02:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Arath Herce, a 20-year-old songwriter from Veracruz, is praised for his masterful lyricism and simple, captivating melodies, earning cosigns from legends like Armando Manzanero.
  • Summary: Arath Herce began writing songs at age eight and has collaborated with renowned figures. His album Musas en Mi features spare compositions and lyrics that impressed elders in the industry. He collaborated on the record with Canadian producer Leif Folibec.
iLe’s Bolero Influences
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(00:07:16)
  • Key Takeaway: iLe’s new album, Como Las Canto Yo, leans heavily into boleros and tropical sounds, perfectly suiting her dark and smoky vocal timbre.
  • Summary: Ana Maria Sayer noted iLe’s shift toward boleros and sultry vocal delivery since performing with Calle Trece. The sound evokes torch singers from the 1940s and 50s. Her producer partner, Ismail Cansel, helped create an amazing sonic palette for this expressive chapter of her career.
TRISTAN!’s Offbeat Madrid Sound
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(00:11:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Madrid producer TRISTAN! creates music with stark, simple arrangements and sonic references that evoke mid-80s punk-pop acts like the B-52s.
  • Summary: TRISTAN!’s music is characterized by simplicity, starkness, and directness, which Felix Contreras initially missed but now appreciates for its intentional arrangement. The music features wacky vocals over tight, sometimes spacey, arrangements including congas. The artist is part of an innovative scene in Madrid.
Venezonix and African Diaspora Rhythms
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(00:18:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Venezonix (Andres Ponce) explores the African diaspora in Latin America through percussion, creating authentic new sounds by blending traditional rhythms with electronic elements.
  • Summary: Venezonix is a percussion project by Andres Ponce, originally from Caracas and based in Miami, featuring vocalist Pahua. The music celebrates African heritage in Latin America, a cultural element that was historically frowned upon but is now being embraced by contemporary artists. This approach involves manipulating traditional drum sounds with modern electronic beats to reflect current experiences.
Meme de Real’s Solo Debut
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(00:22:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Meme de Real’s solo album, La Montaña en Sendida, showcases his core foundation in corridos and banda music, despite modern production techniques.
  • Summary: Meme de Real, a singer from the groundbreaking band Cafe Tacuba, released his first solo project after many years. He co-produced the record with Gustavo Santaolalla, whose signature sound is evident, particularly on tracks like “Estaba Sentado.” The track “Embecis” masterfully uses rhythmic friction (a waltz/corrido time signature) underneath simple lyrics to create tension.
Bomba Estereo’s Ode to Santa Marta
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(00:29:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Bomba Estereo ft. Carlos Vives’ track “La Samaria” celebrates the 500th anniversary of Santa Marta, Colombia’s oldest city.
  • Summary: The closing track honors Santa Marta, the shared hometown of Bomba Estereo vocalist Li Saumet and Carlos Vives. This song reflects the contemporary Colombian music scene, which Bomba Estereo helped introduce to the hosts 15 years ago. The impact of Bomba Estereo on the contemporary Colombian music scene is described as immeasurable.