Russian Red-Fuerteventura

I love almost everything about living in Madrid: the lifestyle, the weather, the people, the never ending list of things to see and do. One thing I dislike with a fiery passion is the music. Don't get me wrong, Madrid has a great music scene and I just went and saw Stephen Marley give an irie performance last Tuesday night (post coming soon), but few Spanish artists on my regular rotation of jams. Though Spain has a great musical heritage, especially flamenco and flamenco guitar, recommendations usually consist of a few generic Spanish rock bands or your typical Top 40 hits. I'm not through yet with my quest, and today's jamandahalf comes from an atypical Spanish artist whose music has me keep up the hope. Russian Red is a madrileña who sings in English and has made a name for herself by combining country-western and folk sounds with a slight touch of Spanish underpinnings . Though her songs sometimes border on poppy, she does have an edge and originality which makes her someone to listen out for. Check out two great songs from her most recent album below. 

Listen to Russian Red on Spotify

Download Russian Red Fuerteventura

Download Russian Red Fuerteventura

El Guincho-Bombay

I'm teaching English in a small town in Spain called Don Benito, which so far has meant teaching my students through Ben Harper and Tallest Man on Earth Songs, the movie The Godfather, and telling them about our goofy traditions during Halloween and Thanksgiving. Not the roughest spot to be in, I know. I've grown to really like Don Benito, but there is one thing I will never, ever, grown fond of: men driving through the small streets of DB bumping the worst possible reggaeton and house at all hours. My students' music tastes also are infected by awful American pop, but luckily there is some really good music being made in Spain, including the artist behind this jamandahalf, El Guincho.

Like a Spanish Calvin Harris, El Guincho both produces and sings, but most of all gets really funky on his tracks. Influenced by a wide variety of genres as far reaching as Caribbeana to trance, El Guincho's songs are a mix of old and new, traditional and modern. There is something undeniably fresh about his music, something that stands out, something about it that I have never heard from any artist before. "Bombay" the first single off of his sophomore album Pop Negro is a great introduction to his music. Over a relentless beat, spiced with the funkiest steel drums this side of my 4th grade music class, El Guincho has made a track that is instantly infectious. This song moves with a spirit that connects Latin America and Spain-the spirit of knowing how to enjoy life. Enjoy it and let me know what you think in the comments.

 El Guincho-Bombay (Jamandahalf.com) by jamand1/2