On a new episode of Alt.Latino, hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Artemisa Sayre spotlight eight projects from across Latin America and its diaspora. Their selections span hip-hop, jazz, folk, alternative music and experimental sounds, demonstrating that Latin music cannot be confined to a single genre or country.

Argentine rapper Trueno leads the list with TURR4ZO, an album that blends contemporary hip-hop with influences from tango, candombe and other South American traditions. The hosts praised the young artist for creating music that feels deeply connected to his community and cultural roots while maintaining a distinct, modern sound.

Puerto Rican saxophonist Jonathan Suazo was selected for Ricano Vol. 2: Fruto de mi Corazón. The album brings Puerto Rican folk traditions into conversation with jazz, incorporating rhythms such as plena and showcasing the creative possibilities that emerge when musicians interpret the genre through their own cultural experiences.

Argentina is also represented by Broke Carrey’s debut album, HIJO DEL PAÍS, which combines inventive production, folkloric sounds and sharp observations about ambition, identity and politics.

Cuban artist X Alfonso earned recognition for AIRE, a deeply emotional project that revisits decades of Cuban music while reflecting on Havana, migration, family separation and the complicated relationship between art, home and politics.

The complete list also includes:

• Silvia Pérez Cruz — Oral_Abisal
• Nuevos Rios — Nuevos Rios
• Criolo, Amaro Freitas and Dino D’Santiago — CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO
• Sofia Rei — Antónima

Together, the selections celebrate artists who are drawing from local histories and traditions without limiting their creativity. Their music reflects both the joy and pain experienced across Latin America while introducing listeners to innovative sounds from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil and beyond.

NPR’s roundup is a reminder that some of the year’s most exciting music is being created by Latin artists who are honoring where they come from while boldly imagining what comes next.

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Source: NPR Music’s Alt.Latino

Photo: Agustin Gomez/Courtesy of the artist