Would it be absurd to say that Argentine rock is becoming as popular as tango? I don’t actually know the answer but all I know is that in the case of Banda de Turistas, their popularity has already surged out of Latin America.

Once part of Jarvis Cooker’s favourite bands list and having their second album El Retorno produced by Peter Mew (from Abbey Road Studios), the quintet from Buenos Aires just released their new album Ya. Short and sweet as rock n’roll should be, Ya has all the psychedelic elements you would expect from a band hugely influenced by the 60s.

The first track “Amigos” is a good choice for an opener, a limpid and enthusiastic rock song that reminded me, straight away, of the Brazilian (gaúcha) band Cachorro Grande, which is always a good sign! The album itself is pretty much divided into a combination of impeccable instrumentals and recycled pop lyrics, a feature also revealed in the other Banda de Turistas’ albums.

They are vintage proof that rock, made in Spanish, can be audacious without being pretentious. And this is clear as crystal in songs such as “Cada Día” (see clip below), the first single, or “El Comemundos”, whose lyrics and melody can go from rustic to gentle imperceptibly.
“Decepiciones”, “Encontremonos” and “Al Otro Lado” are those sort of pop tracks that we probably catch ourselves whispering (or singing loud, if you prefer) along the week after listening to the album several times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L958BQyl5fY

As a genuine member of the “synthesisers appreciation society” I do confess that “Arriba Del Tigre” is my favourite and it is all about that retro futuristic feeling that defines pretty much the quality of the music made by Banda de Turistas.

And if you fancy a taste of argentine experimental music, just keep following the track list because “Mil Veces Más” and “Alumbra” are also great examples of how it works.

The nine tracks of Ya keep the features and influences presented in debut Magico Corazon Radiofonico as well as maintain that spontaneous virtuosism found on their EP Coctel de Estantaneo. Definitely their passport for higher flights! Let’s just keep tracking them!

Ya is available from iTunes in the US and UK. See our interview with Banda de Turistas or the band’s website for more.

You can download the track “Amigos” using the widget below:

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