Mexican Institute of Sound/Camilo Lara

Camilo Lara is one of the most influential figures in contemporary Latin alternative music. As the founder of Mexican Institute of Sound (IMS), he has spent more than two decades redefining Mexican music by fusing cumbia, sonidero culture, mariachi, bolero, hip-hop, electronica, and psychedelic pop into a distinctly modern sound. Beyond his recordings, Lara served as a music consultant and producer for Pixar's Coco, has composed film scores, remixed artists ranging from Metallica to Beck, and has become an international ambassador for Mexico's musical heritage.

Press Highlights

"Camilo Lara has spent two decades redefining Mexican music by integrating cumbia, mariachi and Latin traditions with hip-hop, electronica and global influences."

NPR described his music as "deep, humorous grooves."

His work has also been praised by publications including The New York Times, Spin, and KCRW for pioneering a distinctly Mexican approach to electronic music.

Meridian Brothers

Led by Bogotá composer and multi-instrumentalist Eblis Álvarez, Meridian Brothers have become one of Colombia's most celebrated experimental bands. Since 1998, Álvarez has transformed cumbia, vallenato, salsa, bolero, and tropical music into surreal, psychedelic compositions that balance virtuosic musicianship with humor and avant-garde experimentation. Their fearless approach has earned acclaim from critics worldwide and positioned Meridian Brothers at the forefront of Latin America's experimental music movement.

Press Highlights

"Eblis Álvarez has transformed Colombian musical traditions into psychedelic, avant-garde soundscapes."

Meridian Brothers have also received recognition from NPR's Tiny Desk, The New York Times, and The New Yorker for continually expanding the possibilities of Colombian music.

Ruido Tovar

Ruido Tovar is the groundbreaking collaboration between Camilo Lara's Mexican Institute of Sound and Eblis Álvarez's Meridian Brothers. Inspired by the revolutionary tropical sound pioneered by Mexican legend Rigo Tovar, the album reimagines the shared musical history between Mexico and Colombia through psychedelic cumbia, danzón, son, cha-cha-cha, analog synthesizers, and experimental electronics. Featuring special appearances from Beck and members of Rigo Tovar's legendary Costa Azul, the record is both a tribute to tropical music's past and a bold vision of its future.

Press Highlights

"A cross-border collaboration that reimagines the tropical traditions linking Mexico and Colombia."

"MIS's genre-bending electronic tropicalism meets Meridian Brothers' avant-garde eccentricity."

"The project is not an act of revival, but rather a continuation of a lineage of artists."

"Together, Camilo Lara and Eblis Álvarez pay tribute to decades of musical exchange while pushing tropical music into unexpected territory."