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And now, a couple of recommendations for your music collection. Obviously, you need to add III, the aptly titled third studio release from East LA dynamic duo Tropa Magica, which includes today’s featured track “Todo El Dia” and AMM personal picks “Price of Life,” “Cumbia Mamon” and the album closer that would leave the cucuy beaming with pride, “Wampiro.” But make sure you give several spins to Tripiando al Infinito en Mi Recámara, in which los hermanos Pacheco (guitarist/vocalist David and drummer Rene) built a dazzling homage to a multitude of styles that shaped their sound.
The descriptions given to Tropa Magica run the gamut, from psychedelic cumbia punk, to a combo of cumbia, classic rock and grunge. It’s all of that and more. Combining these influences has been a way for the Pacheco sibs to reconnect to their culture and define their identity as Latinos, while tying in the many different music genres they grew up with. They’ve described it as “an eclectic mashup,” or creating a synthesis of everything they love.
Do not sleep on this one. Tropa Magica will be in Austin for a show tomorrow night, Saturday Aug. 26, at The 13th Floor on Red River. Doors at 7 p.m., and DJ Tropicana Joe brings the exotica-tropicana-cha cha cha to the party. Samba, bossa and balanço, baby.
