Look who’s back with an instant party classic. With Sonido Conquistador, masked genius Tito Ramírez dials the heat past boiling point and delivers his most exotic set yet. Following the suave swing of The Kink of Mambo (2019; still looking for a copy) and El Prince (my favorite album of 2023), this third chapter is pure tropical combustion: nine summery tunes of mambo, cha-cha-chá, boogaloo, rumba, cumbia, and rhythm & blues, all sweat-soaked and dangerously danceable.
Recorded with the whole band in one room and barely any overdubs, the grooves hit like a back-alley block party stretching from Madrid to Mexico City. Even if you don’t understand the largely Spanish lyrics, you sense that we’re at the intersection of tradition and trouble, in the best possible way. You’ll hear less rock ‘n’ roll influences than on the previous record, but it’s still raw, rebellious, and romantic, built for adventurous music fans who like their soul with grit.
Sonido Conquistador—produced by Oscar Martos—is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Discos Antifaz and El Volcán Música. Featuring Tito Ramírez (lead vocals, guitar), Jesus Alonso (drums), Rayco Gil (bongos), Fernando Favier (timbales), Manuel Espinosa (bass), Enma Fernández (keys), Pablo García (saxophone), Gury Quintero (trombone), Luis Soler (trumpet), and Werlink Casanova (trumpet).