Alvin M. Keeling 
In recent years, we have witnessed an insurrection that has been unfolding in the field of Mexican regional music. As with every generation of artists, the disruptive and rejuvenating jerk of the tumbado wave has sparked controversy among traditionalists while attracting legions of new fans fascinated by the majesty and cultural significance of the corridos, norteño, rancheras, banda sinaloense. , And much more. While many newcomers associate this music with rancho life and alcoholic parental catharsis, the reality is that listeners of all generations and from all walks of life are tapping into the storytelling of these borderline mavericks. Corridos and banda never needed to be saved, but they certainly are evolving.
The tumbados corridos and their many sibling hybrids have manifested in two distinct forms: the US fusion of bajo sexto and maleanteo-heavy rap streams (Natanael Cano and the whole Rancho humilde gang), and Mexican mash from organic instruments with production of shiny traps (The plebada). Sure, there’s plenty between and beyond, but the changing soundscape has opened up new avenues for creative exploration that non-Mexican artists love. Bad bunny, C. Tangana, and Snoop dogg gladly jumped on board. New markets have also opened up – just look central America, where banda sinaloense and corridos are bigger than ever. And defying the dynamics of obsolete boys’ clubs of the genre, brash women Like Chiquis Rivera, Ely Quintero, and Ivonne Galaz started to take up more space in the spotlight.
Most importantly, these new conversations encourage fans and Guardians to question their own prejudices and gift overdue flowers to the legends who raised us. Caliber from the 50s Vamos Good LP has received critical acclaim in the Mexican media this year, while recent releases of Los Pikadientes de Caborca have boldly embraced cumbia, reggaeton and even Indian bangra. And no big music festival lineup is complete these days without including a well-loved grupero ensemble, like Mi Banda El Mexicano at this year’s Trópico in Acapulco or Banda MS to the next Vive Latino.For an even deeper look into the evolution and growth of corridos, here are some of our favorite Mexican regional music releases of 2021. The order of selection was based on input from the Remezcla editorial team and our amazing music writers.
10. Karol G – “200 Copas”
Pausing his usual brand of reggaeton pop, Karol G presents a tour of his debut corridos tumbado on his latest album KG0516. Opening with a personal dedication to a close friend, “200 Copas” finds inspiration in joining your daughters in the process of healing after heartache. Co-written with longtime collaborator Ovy On The Drums and Danny Felix, the track raises a drink – or 200 – to women who are ready to help themselves and their friends, through the process of letting go and moving on. to something else by celebrating the Platonic love in friendships, self-esteem, and the freedom that one finds in coming out of unsatisfying relationships. – Jeanette Diaz
9. ElArturo – “El Wey Fui Yo”
Although tumbados corridos have been making headlines for years, the smooth and fascinating hybrids that grow in regional Mexican music go far beyond traditional bajo sexto compositions. Offering one of the movement’s most pop explorations to date, ElArturo plunged into tumbadas rancheras on his effervescent debut LP Y Qué, where the first single “El Wey Fui Yo” appeared as a mariachi ode to the traps to the one who escaped. The delightfully catchy track was produced by 3KMKZ, who builds an immersive sound wall with guitar, horns, mariachi strings, and punchy digital percussion, while ElArturo reinvents the Mexican torch song in TikTok-capable pop gold. – Richard Villegas
8. El Pilux – “El Combo” feat. Zamu, Kid Pistola
When El Pilux de Sonora delivered the delicious textured trap-corrido mashup of “El Combo”, it unwittingly gave us one of the coolest and easiest gems of the tumbado era to date. Bajo sexting strings slide over thundering kicks and crackling snares as he recounts a night out with the boys – cups overflowing with whiskey and a few magical puffs to balance it out. Sleek elements from Zamu and Kid Pistola imbue the track with a laid-back, laid-back desert vibe, swirling in a sexy maelstrom and washed down with corridos, laid-back raps, self-tuning, and norteño bravado to boot. – Richard Villegas
7. Gera MX ft. Christian Nodal – “Botella Tras Botella”
Earlier this year, rapper and Monterrey newcomer Gerardo Daniel Torres Montante (aka Gera MX) and regional favorite Christian Nodal made history with the astonishing “Botella Tras Botella”. The track became the first regional Mexican genre song to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100, and for good reason. It’s led by a fundamental hook that could easily take on any heart-wrenching country hit (“Botella tras botella ando tomando pa ‘olvidarme de ella”) and sealed with the 90s Mexican hip-hop encounters of Montante modern flow, alike. to a trap. – Nayeli Portillo
6. Los Aptos – “Enamorado”
Falling in love is about accepting euphoria along with heartache, a gamble that most of us take without fully considering it. Fort Wayne, Indiana singer-songwriter Juan Ortega almost expressed that with “Enamorado,” channeling the duality of ecstasy and agony at the heart of that sentiment. In the process, the 18-year-old and his group helped cement a new sub-genre of regional Mexican music by delivering a thoughtful and melodic sierreño ballad that is both sweet and melancholy. -Marcos Hassan
5. Junior H – “La Bestia”
In the context of the corridos tumbados movement, Junior H is one of his greatest successes. His rise in the ranks of singers is one for the books, and “La Bestia” could be considered a peak. Considering this to be a six-and-a-half-minute song, “La Bestia” made it easy to bring out the melancholy of Junior H’s vocals and lyrics, while being enhanced by the way each instrument enters and leaves the mix. The song showed how Junior can move the genre forward in the future. –Marcos Hassan
4. Natanael Cano – “Diamantes”
At the head of a new generation of regional, Natanael Cano consolidates his place at the forefront of the genre with his latest album One Set 20. After experiencing the worlds of reggaeton and Latin trap, his latest album marks a return to what Natanael is wanted for: a versatile but solid track list of tumbado corridos. “Diamantes,” the young star’s opening single, swaps its usual faster style to introduce the album with a slower take, ballad-like infused with guitar riffs and introspection that uses relaxed time to an intimate reflection on its rapid upward trajectory. – Jeanette Diaz
3. DannyLux – “El Dueño de tu Amor”
TikTok has undoubtedly become a breeding ground for future stars, and DannyLux can attest to that. The Palm Spring native’s musical career began when Eslabon Armado found a cover on TikTok and invited him to collaborate on a song. DannyLux uses music to channel his emotions, a mixture of sadness, hopelessness, love, and in other cases, joy. Tellingly, “Dueño Tu Amor” comes from the bright side; an affirmation of love, desire and a commitment to the love of his life. – Felipe Maia
2. Itzel Vida – “Vida Movida (Feat. Grupo Diez 4tro)”
“Vida Movida” combines Grupo Diez 4tro’s love for impact drills in northern California with Itzel Vida’s talent for the salient narrative ballad found in traditional corridos. Vida’s skyward croons, vocalist Jesus Moreno’s tassel and old-school riffs from guitarist Nabs culminate in telling two stories about living in constant survival mode. At its center is a sort of affirmation – “Me seguiré preparando pa ‘seguir avanzando / Quiero verme en unos años, yo me adapto a cualquier cambio / Sea bueno o sea malo” – grounding it in a harsh reality that so many people struggle and come face to face with everyday. – Nayeli Portillo
1. Ivonne Galaz – “Voy En Camino”
The hallways, at their core, are all focused on honest, grainy storytelling that offers a glimpse into the soul of a performer. With the title song from her debut album Camino tripThis is exactly what Ivonne Galaz, signatory of Rancho Humilde, did by unraveling the tangled emotions of a young burgeoning star, uncertain of where she is heading but on the right track. Sensing the historic weight of femininity within the largely impenetrable boys’ club of regional Mexican music, “Voy En Camino” is full of thanks to Galaz’s mother and her enemies, who both taught her to persevere and work harder. Ivonne Galaz aims to follow in the footsteps of trailblazers like Jenni Rivera and Ana Gabriel, women who lived and played on their own terms, following the rules until they can no longer be contained. – Richard Villegas
