As with any talent from South America, there’s likely an assumption you’re getting Latin dance music here, but Sounds From Chile presents a much wider range of music. Caravana, from Las Achupallas, Valparaiso, gives a taste of the country’s roots, with an acoustic sound rooted in its culture’s folk music. Singer-songwriter Diego Peralta shares a state with Caravana, but he comes across much more contemporary, with moody pop that’s as indie as it is folk. Spearheaded by musician-composer Pamela Sepúlveda, Santiago’s Fakuta shimmers through warm electronics and even warmer melodies, given wing by vocal trio the Laura Palmers. Hailing from the same region, Daniel Riveros, who trades under the name Gepe, splits the difference between Fakuta and Peralta, with sweetly synth-tinged folk-pop. Following up SXSW with Lollapalooza Chile (produced by Austin’s C3 Presents), festival vets Protistas continue the electro-folk invasion from Santiago. We Are the Grand keep the regional trend flowing, though the quartet downplays synthetics and sings in English.
This article appears in March 8 • 2013.
