Vintage cumbia, Ecuadorian folk, guitar jamming and Mexican rap

By
Felix Contreras
WNYC | Jul 2, 2025

This week I get to flex a track from a record label based in Spain that specializes in archive material: Munster/VampiSoul. This time it's classic cumbia, gaitas, porro and paseitos from Colombia circa 1966. If you go online and shop the recording from their website, you're treated to exhaustive researched liner notes, one of the label's specialties.

Ana, meanwhile, continues her pursuit of the perfect pop record with stops in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Featured artists and songs:

  • Óscar Agudelo y El Combo Moderna, "Está Como Mango"
  • Isabella Lovestory, "Fresa Metal," "Eurotrash," "Tu Te Vas"
  • Grecia Albán, "YO POR TI"
  • Vicente García, "Mambo Violento," "El Huracán," "Abusadora"
  • BALTHVS, "Flesh and Soul"
  • Gera MX, "Ciclo Vital," "1 Millón"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Noah Caldwell. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed.

Copyright 2025 NPR
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Felix Contreras

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