Meridian Brothers

Bogota's Meridian Brothers play irreverent, futurist electro-rock, melding historic, modern, and experimental Latin and Afro-Latin polyrhythms, rhythms, and genres. Composer/multi-instrumentalist Eblis Álvarez records Meridian Brothers' albums solo but performs with a band live. 2006's El Advenimiento del Castillo Mujer showcased "abstract folk music" -- mutant cumbia and Currulao -- inspired by traditional musical collectives. 2012's Desesperanza, conceived as a salsa concept album, went far afield. 2014's Salvadora Robot revisioned vintage vallenato for the 21st century. 2019's quirky Dónde Estás María employed cello atop cumbia, reggaeton, and Andean huaynos rhythms. 2022's El Grupo Renaciamiento marked the first release from New York's Ansonia Records in three decades. In 2024, Meridian Brothers released Mi Latinoamérica Sufre, a concept album reflecting the potential for electric guitar in a tropical Latin context, inspired by rhythmic traditions from African highlife and soukous.