Ever since ÉSSO dropped a self-titled album of dance-floor fillers in 2015, the groove-tastic local band’s fusion of Latin music, Afrobeat, and psychedelic rock has set Gossip Wolf’s toes to tapping. As if in response to the despair of the pandemic, ÉSSO decided to release their next album one song per month, to spread out the fun—last spring and summer, they put out five singles and videos, including “Animal,” “Izquierda,” and “Chico Chango” (which features Latin soul crooner Lester Rey). Producer and front man Armando Pérez also released a solo cumbia EP called Raza in September. On Friday, June 4, Pérez’s Sonic Octopus label will release the LP Xicago, which combines the singles, the EP, and three previously unissued tracks; it’s available for preorder via Bandcamp.
Vicious Kicks by David Singer & The Sweet Science
