2000s-present
Mexican American music from the 2000s to the present is a unique era. Chicano Batman, Cuco, and Dannylux are only a few of the more popular artists of this era. Each has celebrated their Mexican American identity in their own individual styles while also demonstrating an evolution in music from previous generations. With more complex music software and production music, the way songs were created changed. Many people can produce and release their own songs from their bedrooms. Established artists also used technological advances to access a broader range of digital sounds and instruments, thereby heightening their creative potential. One artist who represents this era well is Danny Lux. Lux started his career making covers on TikTok and quickly gained popularity. Noticing this, he decided to try writing his own songs and releasing them. By doing so, he and other artists like him created a new, fresh genre of music, “Alt-Sierreño. ”Alt-Sierreño is a genre based on traditional Mexican music, using guitars and incorporating 12-string guitars, as well as modern alternative or indie styles and sounds. The product is an emotionally unique style that has become widely appreciated. Lux has also continued to advance his music by adding more complex beats and samples, creating an even more blended style. Alongside Lux, someone who is similar in his modernity is Cuco. His music is also a blend and something that could only exist in modern times. He started by teaching himself different instruments and creating covers similar to Lux, but quickly moved on to making songs in Ableton, a popular music software program. Cuco’s music is a mix of modern bossa nova and indie music, with a unique feel. Listening to his music, you can tell the depth of instrumentation and mix of ideas. Cuco shares many similarities with Lux in their beginnings and content. They both make music deeply rooted in Latin styles, with emotional lyrics and feelings. Both artists have also become popular online and among young Mexican Americans. Chicano Batman are artists that define this time, but contrast with Cuco and Lux. Chicano Batman is a band that has profoundly impacted the Mexican American music scene. Their music is psychedelic and draws on funk and jazz, similar to bands like El Chicano. They have been featured at LA Phil performances and are sometimes referred to as LA’s “house band” for their roots and representation of Chicano and Latinx culture. Their style is a blend like Cuco and Lux, but it doesn’t have the feel or presence in younger Mexican American communities. Instead, Chicano Batman is more appreciated by older generations and more musically inclined fans. That’s not to say they don’t push boundaries of what Latin and Mexican American music can be. I think of Chicano Batman as leaders—Latin and Mexican American artists who have brought their best to the genre, drawing on tradition and culture. The respect critics and fans have for the band attests to their distinction. The current generation of music feels like a breakthrough. Mexican American music feels fresh without straying too far from its roots. Just as Mexican Americans as a community are separate from Mexican culture, the music is separate from it as well. It is its own blend of influences and traditions. It’s exciting to look at how far Mexican American music has come and how it has developed its own style. The Tejano and Funk genres have produced well-respected bands such as Chicano Batman and Ozomatli. On the other hand, the culture is still growing, and the next generation of bands, such as Danny Lux and Cuco, are developing their own styles. I encourage all readers to continue following Mexican American musicians and to see how their styles influence their local Southern California community. The series was aimed at sparking interest in Mexican American music, or at least helping readers hear the influence of Mexican American culture in their everyday lives.
Frankenstein '25, A Review