Prezident Markon’s New Singles Round-Up: (José Gonzáles, Alex Wilson and Omar Ríos Meléndez, Lucas Santtana, Yilian Cañizares and more)
25 January, 2026Once more unto the breach, dear readers. Here’s my latest pick of new singles from the mundo Latino…
José Gonzáles: “Against the Dying of The Light”
Rage, rage… quoth the poet, Dylan Thomas. Or something like that. Clearly, this Swedish-born musician of Argentine parents knows the poem well. The single is the title track from his forthcoming fifth studio album and, in the singer-songwriter’s words, “it’s about accepting who we are and what led us here… Then about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing.” It’s a worthy song from a worthy human being, who recently took the 10% Pledge, a public commitment to give 10% of his income to charities fighting extreme poverty via Giving What We Can. Members of his Pledge Club have thus far donated over $175,000 to charitable organisations such as Helen Keller International, Against Malaria Foundation, New Incentives, and the GiveWell Top Charities Fund. For more information or to request an invitation to González’s Pledge Club, please visit givewithjose.com.
Alex Wilson and Omar Ríos Meléndez: “Yo No Sé Mañana”
It’s been a while since I’ve heard news of the Anglo-Swiss pianist based in Zurich. It seems that he has hooked up with a London-based Nicaraguan acoustic guitarist, Omar Ríos Meléndez, for an album of 10 classy instrumental duets (the aptly entitled The Art of Deep Connection) out next month, from which this representative single is taken. Their version of the “Prince of (Nicaraguan) Salsa”, Luis Enrique’s “Yo No Sé Mañana” finds the smash hit slowed down and liberally sprinkled with jewel-like solos. Sorry I couldn’t find the full track, but this’ll give you an idea of what to expect.
Lucas Santtana: “A História da Nossa Língua ft. Gilberto Gil”
From one classy pairing to another… The consistently surprising singer-songwriter now based in Montpelier, France teams up with a legend (with whose band he once played flute many moons ago) for a single that spells out one of his principal concerns running like a thread through the new album for the esteemed NO FORMAT label in early March: the history of Brazil’s language. “We need to tell the truth about the history of our language,” he asserts, “because it’s also the history of our people, of our country. And people in Brazil don’t know that Portuguese in the early years, was never the most widely spoken language in Brazil. With Brasiliano, my aim was to give space to this proposition.” As well as the title of the coming album, Brasiliano is the name that many would like to see replacing Portuguese as the official language of Brazil. No complaints about this delicious single, though.
João Selva: “Atras do teu olhar”
For the sake of continuity, we’ll segue smoothly to another Brazilian exile based in France. João Selva’s new single for Lyon’s Underdog Records introduces his EP, Noite Azul. It’s a filigree guitar-and-voice affair that pays tribute to Brazilian legends like João Gilberto and Caetano Veloso, while summoning the spirit of his contemporary compatriot, Rodrigo Amarante. As always produced by Bruno Patchworks, the single and EP weave their delicate ways along a path that borders bossa nova, indie pop and psychedelic folk. It’s quite a surprise coming from this particular singer-songwriter, but a very pleasant one.
Ekstra Bonus & mediopick: “MALA KAWAII remix” (feat. DJ Sosa RD)
Well, it sure as hell ain’t João Selva. This crazy double-tempo remix of the Dominican pair’s most recent single came out back in December. DJ Sosa RD is another Dominican, based in Barcelona, who’s known for “a genre-blurring mix of edits, mutations and broken rhythms from the Latin underground scene.” “For the remix,” our Mr. Sosa elucidates, “I wanted to create something fun for the club while keeping the original energy. I leaned into the hyperpop influences and added double-step elements, a style that plays with slow and fast rhythms, always using reggaeton as the foundation and in this case pushing the tempo into the juke or tech space.” Thank you! All is clear as remixed mud.
Babasonicos: “Tiempo Off”
Surely, the only way to follow that is with some Argentine rock. The veteran multi-award-winning group has featured here before, so you don’t need to know much more than “Tiempo Off” is the second single taken from their album, Cuerpos. I’m not much of a rocker – I always preferred the Mods – but it’s rather good in a rocky kind of way.
Yilian Cañizares: “Nuevo Ciclo”
Time for a quick detour to Cuba. “Nuevo Ciclo” is the latest single taken from the distinguished, imminent album, Vitamina Y, by the Swiss-based Cuban violinist and vocalist, Yilian Cañizares. An instrumental replete with African rhythms and inflections provided by the likes of Bokani Dyer, the feted South African pianist, its root is a traditional Cuban prayer to Orunmila, the deity of wisdom and destiny in the Yoruba tradition. As the video’s message spells out, it’s an invitation to start a new cycle in life, with strength, enthusiasm, and the desire to reach new horizons. Powerful stuff.
Monster Rally: “Rosella feat. Sessa”
Ted Feighan, known to friends and admirers as Monster Rally, is based in Cleveland, U.S.A. I suppose someone has to be. If the name sounds about as Latino as a Russian cosmonaut, we can view this as a Sessa single for the purpose of inclusion. And fair play to Mr. Rally, who admits, “I’ve been a fan of his music for years, since I first found his vinyl at a local record store when I lived in LA. At first I couldn’t tell if he was a new artist or someone from 1970s Brazil.” Sessa was one of the first collaborators he called upon when he decided that his 10th album, the coming Echoes of the Emerald Sands, should be a vocal album built around collaborations from a whole host of contemporary invitees. The good sense in selecting Sessa is evident from this beguiling single.
Ranil y su Conjunto Tropical: “Llora Venus”
It’s not long now till the latest Analog Africa release, so just to whet your appetite, here’s the latest single from those nonpareil practitioners of Peruvian Cumbia Amazonica. I think I’ve said enough about them and this in the recent past, so I’ll just let you listen to that irresistible guitar groove and anticipate…
Louie El Ser: “Cicada”
And talking of irresistible guitar sounds, I rather like this: some dreamy alt-pop courtesy of the self-producing multi-instrumentalist from the Bay Area, California. It features fellow ‘Frisco-based Latina artist, Peña. It’s all got something to do with a dormant scratching insect and waiting for something that you know will arrive, whether love or success. And it’s all truly scrumptious.
GALE: “Me Tiene”
We’ll turn to Puerto Rico now for something from the Grammy-winning singer-songwriting powerhouse. I love the comment underneath the video, “I’m not sure what she’s singing about, but I’m moving!!” If it’s any help @BrianSuxx, here’s young GALE to explain: “’Me Tiene’ is a sexy, fun song that celebrates that moment when you realize how good it feels to be with someone who truly loves you, takes care of you, and gives you your place. From the very beginning, I knew I wanted it to feel intense and high‑energy. Musically, it lives in the world of synth pop and electro pop: it has a unique, urgent energy that just makes you dance. And yes, it’s also a direct message to that toxic ex, making it clear they’re part of the past.” A direct message, indeed; don’t mess with GALE!
Doctor Nativo: “Chocolate Kakaw ft. Chavahaze”
Here’s a single taken from the good doctor’s March-scheduled album, BarrioKandela. The video was filmed at Lake Atitlán in Mexico, which serves to mirror the inherent Mayan spirituality underneath the pounding hip-hop and dancehall rhythms of the music. The song invites us to remember where the energy that sustains us truly comes from – and to honour cacao as medicine, heritage and symbol of cultural resistance rather than as an exotic product consumed by millions. Excuse me a sec…
That’s better. Nothing like re-enacting a Mayan ceremony with a little something dark and sweet from the fridge. Where was I? Actually, I reckon that’s it for another month. I trust I haven’t missed anything ground-breaking.
(Cover photo of Monster Rally)
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