Pan Caliente: Top 5 Albums You Might Have Missed in 2013

Written by

Pan Caliente blogheader_600x133_final

Amidst the fervor of Year End lists, we thought it prudent to hit you up with our own. Since the Pan Caliente is in its infancy — we’ll call it the “pre-heating stage” — we focused our list on five albums you might have missed in 2013.

Salud!

1. El mato a un policia motorizado – La Dinastia Scorpio: Yet another standout amongst the new Indie scene in Argentina. The album is moody, melodic, and catchy without going all indie ethereal. It’s an exemplary record of what Musica Indie is all about.

2. La Santa Cecilia – Treinta dias: Chugging away and holding it down for Los Angeles, LSC’s first full length album is an impressive culmination that builds off of their previous 3EPs. It includes an awesome collaboration with Elvis Costello on the track “Losing Game” and got a Grammy nod for Best Latin Album. #established

3. Juan Cirerol – Haciendo Leña: There’s a strange mixture of Johnny Cash’s attitude with Bob Dylan’s sensibility to this Baja Californian troubadour who is reinventing the classic Corrido.

His voice is strange and the themes get even weirder as the album sucks you in. If ever there were enough music to claim Alternative Country in Spanish a genre, this would be thee defining artist.

4. Piñata Protest – El Valiente: Reppin’ for San Antone, these road warriors pump out fast and loud music integrating accordions and Tejano melodies.

The album is a blueprint for Norteño Punk and taps into a strange combination of sounds that puts them in that, “it’s weird but somehow I like it,” category with bands like Gogol Bordello, Dead Kennedys, and Man Man.

Stream here

5. Niña Dioz – Indestructible: We like a little hippity hip-hop sprinkled in from time to time. After featured verses on Ceci Bastida’s and Mexican Dubwiser’s albums, and three killer underground Mixtapes where she’s spitting fire over Indie samples, we finally get a proper full length from Mexico’s leading female MC.

It makes Ana Tijoux look like Abuelita’s hip-hop.