With his debut album Niños del Bosque, Argentina and Switzerland-based artist AKIRA delivers a breathtaking vision of what modern Latin music can be. It’s rooted in tradition, yet unafraid to venture into uncharted soundscapes. Drawing from cumbia, salsa and bachata, these songs are deeply rooted in tradition yet there’s bold flourishes of modern reinvention with psychedelic guitars and cinematic textures. This result of AKIRA’s self-coined “psychedelic cumbia”, a blended genre that feels both ancient and futuristic.
Of all the 11 tracks, we’re drawn to ‘Cumbia del Bosque’, a rebellious anthem that perfectly encapsulates AKIRA’s ethos. Pulsing with hypnotic percussion, layered vocals and shimmering guitar lines, the track is both quietly defiant and joyfully celebratory. It’s music that calls people together, inviting listeners to move, reflect, and reconnect with something outside of themselves. Alongside ‘Cumbia del Bosque’, each song in the album is a vital chapter of renewal and resistance. With this debut, AKIRA establishes himself as a vital new voice in Latin music, uniting the sacred and the contemporary in one unforgettable sound.
“Everyone who listens to this music automatically becomes a Niña/Niño del Bosque.”
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