Mexican Institute of Sound and Meridian Brothers have released “Ritmo Babilonia,” the final single from their collaborative album Ruido Tovar. The track features Beck and reimagines Rigo Tovar’s 1981 song “El Festival De Mi Pueblo.”
Rooted in late-1970s and early-1980s Mexican tropical music, Ruido Tovar examines the period when artists began replacing traditional instrumentation with synthesizers. Camilo Lara and Meridian Brothers leader Eblis Álvarez completed the album during a weeklong session at Lara’s studio in January 2025.
“Ritmo Babilonia” is one of two Beck collaborations on the album. The recording bring together percussion and keyboards from Pachi Sánchez and Lauro López — members of Costa Azul, Tovar’s original backing band — with Beck’s vocals and Lara’s production.
Beck said his connection with cumbia stretches back to childhood experiences in East Los Angeles. “Camilo played me Meridian Brothers years ago, and I loved it,” he said. “A lot of my childhood was around East LA. Cumbia has been in the background my whole life.”
Author: World Music Central News Room
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