Meridian Brothers – Mi Latinoamérica Sufre (Ansonia Record, 2024)
The independent Colombian act Meridian Brothers, led by Eblis Álvarez, has dropped a new album titled Mi Latinoamérica Sufre through Ansonia Records. This concept album emerged from Álvarez’s desire to explore the untapped potential of the electric guitar within a tropical Latin American context.
Mi Latinoamérica Sufre pays homage to the golden age of 70s Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Nigerian afrobeat. Álvarez mixes (or as he says, “samples”) these influences with a fresh sound anchored in various Latin rhythms, all performed by Álvarez himself. The result is a collection of complex, masterfully crafted compositions weaving together elements of cumbia, champeta, soukous, Brazilian tropicalia, and psychedelic rock, all within the framework of an Afro-Latin guitar band.
Standout tracks include the seductive, earwormy, guitar-fueled song “En el Caribe estoy triste” (I’m sad in the Caribbean) that feels like Kinshasa meets Bogotá; and the eccentric, bouncy champeta “Mandala.”
Since 1998, the Bogotá-based composer, producer, sound alchemist, and multi-instrumentalist Eblis Álvarez has been crafting a mix of psychedelic sounds in his studio under the name Meridian Brothers. Over the decades, he has released a large volume of challenging, exciting, and fun music that is both experimental and traditional, rooted in the past yet futuristic, infused with a sense of spontaneity and intentionality.
This is certainly not your typical tropical guitar album; it’s a bold musical experiment brimming with invention, joy, and emotion. On this album, the guitar sound steers clear of distortion, opting for a pure and clean approach, similar to the signature sound developed by Congolese rumba guitarists.
Meridian Brothers Tour Dates
July 18 – Glen Falls House – Catskill, NY
July 19 – Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park – Brooklyn, NY
July 20 – Cooper Field – Putney, VT
July 21 – Black Cat – Washington, DC
July 22 – 3 Dots – State College, PA
July 25 – Woodhouse Blending & Brewing – Santa Cruz, CA
July 26 – Freight & Salvage – Berkeley, CA
July 27 – Corazón del Barrio – San Diego, CA
July 28 – The Ford – Los Angeles, CA
Author: Iliana Cabrera
