Venezuela

“Polvo Lunar” (2011), their first album, showed some good ideas that weren’t developed the way they should have been, and didn’t translate their powerful performance on stage.

“Generador” may be a tour-de-force in their music, because they now play a Psychedelic-Indie-Electro-Pop-Rock inspired by bands like Tame Impala, but it sure sounds like what the band actually sounds in concert.

♪♫ Listen: “Silvia en un Viaje” + album stream

La Abuela Disco on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

In their second EP, La Pequeña Revancha leaves their traditional folk aside and opt for different sonorities.

Claudia Lizardo’s beautiful voices contrasts with Juan Olmedillos’ in tracks that go from Trip Hop (“Yo Era El Sol”), to Bolero (“Rosa de Montecarmelo”), to Indie folk (“La Fiesta del Señuelo”).

The only thing I hate about this record is that is only seven tracks long.

♪♫ Listen: “La Fiesta Del Señuelo” + album stream

La Pequeña Revancha on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.

With each work, this Venezuelan band that constantly tours along South and Central America, shows some evolution and greatness.

“L’Antiteoría del Todo” is a philosophical quest about the human being and his behaviour, asking a question in each of its 10 tracks.

It captures emotions like anger, nostalgia, dissatisfaction, sadness, despair, anxiety, disapointment or fear, while they play a wild and well executed Math Rock and Post Rock.

♪♫ Listen: “¿Cuándo rendirse significa ganar?” + album stream

Zeta on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

The Tomates Fritos’ frontman also had time for releasing his first solo EP, “Crímenes de Guerra”.

In the six tracks he captures the feeling of a broken heart, singing in the most sincere way about being friendzoned and other shitty things that made him feel bad because of a girl.

Melancholic folk with some well-written lyrics.

♪♫ Listen: “Dulce de Almendrón” + album stream

Boston Rex on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter.

After releasing two over-produced albums, the singer and songwriter Vargas delivers one influenced by lo-fi and cassette sound aestethics, making his jazzy-bluesy-pop sound more intimate and straight from the heart.

On “Radiocassette”, his lyrics sustain this affirmation, as he croons about everything he’s been through in his relationships.

♪♫ Listen: “La Ventana” ft. Gona + album stream

Vargas on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

After three albums, one of Venezuela’s most important bands shows some maturity in their music.

Rawayana’s probably best album to date blends their Reggae Pop with Funk, Ska, Merengue and R&B, displaying their “sabrosura latina” in every track.

After you have listened to “Trippy Caribbean”, you won’t stop humming all song one by one.

♪♫ Listen: “High” ft. Apache + album stream

Rawayana on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

Another frontman that went solo in 2016. YEI released three albums with his band, Telegrama, and he moved out and found himself writing an album that frontally criticises the corruption in Venezuela to the beat of indie rock and some great lyrics.

But that’s not all. On “Barriendo Escombros Después De La Fiesta”, he’s also influenced by electronic music and folk, and has a talent for mashing those genres up. A fun album.

♪♫ Listen: “Potser (Las Noches de Barcelona)” + album stream

YEI on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

After the separation of his band Los Paranoias, Luis Irán went through a lot. He became a father and he started a solo project inspired by that.

In his compositions, Iran croons about his new life as a father and the way that changes him, and has time to write “Maiquetía”, a beautiful song about the terrible Venezuelan diaspora that took his brother and most of his friends from his side in Venezuela, called after the most important airport in Venezuela.

Honest pop rock with the obvious influence from The Beatles.

♪♫ Listen: “Maiquetía” + album stream

Luis Irán on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, www.

Though no one in Venezuela gives him the credit he deserves, this one-man band founded by Cheky Bertho (a Venezuelan living in Mexico) has been reviewed by “Rolling Stone” and “Pitchfork” as one of the most interesting things happening in the Venezuelan music these days.

In “La Confianza Ciega”, he finds himself as a singer and delivers a number of catchy tunes, combining Indie Pop, Post-Rock and House with some tropical magic.

♪♫ Listen: “El Calor Específico” + album stream

Algodón Egipcio on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

After 4 albums and almost 20 years on the road, the legendary band from Puerto La Cruz makes its comeback with an album that sounds nothing like their previous work.

Sure, they keep their expertise in making stadium anthems, but their music evolved and now they play some 80’s post punk with influence of bands like The War On Drugs.

This is their riskiest work yet, and also their saddest album to date.

♪♫ Listen: “Multicolor” + album stream

Tomates Fritos on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.