CHICANO BATMAN
They came out of L.A., four young men in vintage formalwear, playing songs that blended Brazilian Tropicalía with early ’70s psychedelic soul and the romantic pop of bands like Los Ángeles Negros. It was an immediately addictive sonic brew, and their reputation grew fast. Since forming in 2008, Chicano Batman have released two full-length albums—a self-titled 2009 debut, and 2014’s Cycles Of Existential Rhyme—and two EPs. The band has played Coachella, and toured with Alabama Shakes and Jack White, among others. Now, they’re making their boldest statement yet with Freedom Is Free, their third album and ATO Records debut. Frontman Bardo Martinez met bassist Eduardo Arenas in 2008, and they quickly found common ground in the work of Caetano Veloso and other Tropicalía performers, as well as the kind of vintage soul and pop heard on “the albums our parents have in their closets.”
KHRUANGBIN
If you ever find yourself in Burton, Texas -- population 359 -- you may hear some strange sounds coming from a particularly remote barn. The sounds are that of Khruangbin, a psychedelic trio who draw inspiration from the deepest depths of music history: mixing 1960's funk scene in Thailand, 1970's Persian rock music, and 1980's Algerian symphonia with a dash of disco, soul, and balearic music. After developing a fan base of the barnyard variety, they decided to find out if humans would enjoy their music too. Since then, they've found their audiences just as diverser as the music itself -- selling out headline shows in the US, UK and Europe, supporting acts like Father John Misty and Massive Attack, and late last year, signing on to be Corona's official brand sound.
