There is almost no time until Alhambra Monkey Week, one of those music fairs that brings together artists and the music industry, to be celebrated. It will be in Seville between November 21 and 23. The organization communicates bad news today: the Seville City Council informed them last Thursday (November 7) that they are cutting two hours of leave on the main stages with respect to the schedule they had agreed upon since February – later reconfirmed in May and September – for the holding of the festival. That is why the publication of schedules, now available, has been delayed and there will be more overlaps than other years.
The organization insists that the crux of the matter is “discovering tomorrow’s music today”, which does not mean that talents already consolidated from the scene from half the world, or well-known in these parts, are not taken care of. These are the 10 essential artists who – more or less, because of tastes, colors – head their poster.
Bizarre Love Triangle
After the departure of Zippo, the Galician group is finally a trio. Isa, Rodrigo and Rafa are touring the country with a 20th anniversary tour in which each concert is a different adventure. Tarot cards designed by Wences Lamas decide which 2 albums they play each night, in full and in order. Finally, an encore with “greatest hits.” They have just given us all the details in an unmissable podcast in which we review his entire career.
Yerai Cortes
The name in all the pools to throw the biggest party of the entire Monkey Week is Yerai Cortés. He is the protagonist of the documentary that, directed by C. Tangana, was presented with enormous success at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Aside from his curious family history, full of secrets and disputes, ‘The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés’ brings to a large audience the talent of an artist who has renewed flamenco alone and alongside names as diverse as Judeline, Ralphie Choo and Lola Indigo. We leave you with his session for Colors.
Alcala North
As it is already a cliché to assert that Alcalá Norte is the revelation of the year or the fashionable band, let’s go with the data. The Madrid group has been on the list of the country’s best-selling vinyl records for 23 weeks, despite the distribution difficulties of a label as small as Balaunka, since many of the stores where it has been distributed do not count in Promusicae. ‘Elfo Street’, the adaptation of La Paloma ‘The King of the Jews’ and of course ‘The Canyon Life’ will once again be the best moments of that show that has already toured half of Spain.
Ganges
Ganges has gained many points with the release of his new album ‘SORA’. His career had already left small hits like ‘Pensar en ti’ with Natalia Lacunza, the hypnotic ‘I only like you when I like you’ or ‘6º’. But his latest work is the one that best balances electronics and confessional lyrics, from the contention and admiration of ‘Mirarte’ to the explosion of ‘FOTOLOG NOSTALGIA’.
Baiuca
Established for five years as one of the pioneers of our country who have alternated folklore and electronic music, Baiuca presents his new album ‘Barullo’ this fall. In it, samples and dance beats are found again with the voices of the Galician tradition, as is very visible in tracks like ‘Navajitas’. Antía Ameixeiras and former Novedades Carminha CARLANGAS are among the guest voices on this new studio album, pending confirmation of what the live presentation of this tour will be like.
Barry B.
When Alhambra Monkey Week begins next week, everyone will already be enjoying Barry B’s long-awaited debut album, ‘Chato’. This summer his collaboration with Carolina Durante, ‘I thought that God had touched me’, has been a hit, and other songs as effective as ‘El efímero arte de excusa’ or ‘Joga bonito’ have also been presented. In them the Madchester sound is combined with electronics, lo-fi indie and ballads.
Derby Motoreta’s Burrito Kachimba
Seeing Derby Motoreta’s Burrito Kachimba in this edition of Alhambra Monkey Week is not only seeing them totally in their element, since the Sevillian band is a favorite and friend of the organization. It will also be seeing them after their album this year, ‘Yellow Bag and Powerful Stone’, reached number 1 in sales in our country, replacing Beyoncé herself with ‘Cowboy Carter’. The group that alternates flamenco with psychedelic and progressive rock has added hits such as ‘La Fuente’ or ‘El chinche’ to its repertoire.
Pony Bravo
Another group inseparable from the history of Seville is Pony Bravo, in its case more marked by that mix of tradition and underground that we perceive from Triana to Smash. Of course, with a touch of humor that included such fun songs as ‘Noche de setas’ or ‘Mi DNI’. This year they released their album ‘Trópico’, which includes songs like ‘C’est Chic – C’est Bon’ and ‘Linda’, still marked by psychedelia and prog-rock, although sticking to the footage that marks pop. .
Queralt Lahoz
In 2021 the album ‘Pureza’ by Queralt Lahoz arrived. Now the singer is finalizing a new full-length album scheduled for 2025. Her recent collaboration with Toni Anzis or ‘I asked for forgiveness’, the solo single she released last spring, seemed to portend that the singer will continue immersed in the sensual rhythms of American R&B without stop caressing Spanish guitars, pianos and Mediterranean melodies.
Meridian Brothers
Alhambra Monkey Week no longer wants to be a big attraction in terms of international Anglo-Saxon artists, but it does usually have several Latin American artists. The Colombian Meridian Brothers arrive in Seville to claim their pioneering character. Active since the late 90s, Eblis Álvarez’s project has taken salsa, cumbia and vallenato towards electronic music or music from other places in the world. A good example is his latest album, ‘Mi Latinoamérica Sufre’, published this year as a tribute to the Congolese rumba of the 70s, Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian afrobeat, without leaving aside cumbia, champeta or Brazilian rhythms. There goes your Tiny Desk.
