HOT HALF DOZEN 136 Submissions This Week

136 songs, albums and videos submitted for reviews this week

7.30.24

Lista, single video by Nikki Lorenzo. An emotion-heavy   Spanish and English heartbreak love song with twists and turns and pain as they are torn between their desires and the knowledge that their love is not meant to be.

Gets under your skin and stays in your ears. Stream on Spotify and major platforms.

Harbor, single, by Irene Diaz, Deep, brooding, but positive – “I can do anything I want to do” Irene brings her voice down low and carries us along close to her heart. With superb production by Irene, Carolyn Cardoza, Jordan Blackmon and Killah Cortez, this is a lower key Irene and a beautiful one. Stream on Spotify and major platforms.

Somos Uno, single/video by Elsten Torres. A positive, hopeful video about unity in a world that seems the opposite of that. It moves gently, as Torres can do so well, but engages you with its message and the guitar and piano that carries him and you along in scenes from Spain. Filmed in Madrid, the Cuban-born, Miami-based balladeer brings us all together with music and a  “We Are the World” ending Video on YouTube. Spanish.

Ké Mal, single/video by Elsa y Elmar.  The fourth single from the upcoming album PALACIO to be released on August 30th “Ké MaL” lyrics say accept reality and feel better. It keeps you moving with simple drums and breakdowns with clashing guitars. Lots of fun. Stream on Spotify. Spanish.

Jardin Del Paraiso by MONSIEUR PERINÉ. Inspired by the sounds of Colombia’s Pacific coast for COP16 World Biodiversity Summit this Oct in Cali, Colombia, includes marimba and the ancestral songs of the Pacific Colombian communities. The duo of Santiago Prieto and Catalina Garcia ae joined by Bejuco, the Afrobeat group that created Bambuco Beat for this musical trip through the jungle. Stream on Spotify. Spanish.

El Muchacho de Los Ojos Tristes, single by Vanessa Zamora. Released this week, Zamora’s new single is dream-pop, romance, and foot-tapping ballad rolled into one. With swirling violins, synth accents and of course, her voice. Stream of Spotify and major platforms. Spanish 

Note to readers. Many of you have asked me to add playlists to the Hot Half Dozen. It may take a week or two to get organized to provide songs in a playlist format like M3U or PLS, but I think it is a great idea and will make it work.

Patrick O’Heffernan