As I have stated on this blog so many times in the past, TikTok has become one of my favorite ways to find new music. My feed on that app is curated to constantly expose me to up-and-coming artists who otherwise would not be on my radar. This ranges to all kinds of music; From Indie Hip Hop and Pop to K-Pop, Latin Music, and more, TikTok is always showing me cool music that I end up loving(and in turn talk about on Eastside Vibes a lot of the time). Someone I came across recently who I knew I had to talk about is CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso. The reason I found this group is due to an NPR Tiny Desk performance they did in honor of Latin Heritage Month that has been going viral. Everything about this performance immediately hooked me; from the instrumental to the wild deliveries from CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso to their very striking look, this performance pulled me in and made me want to know more about them. When I went to their Spotify to listen to their music, I was fascinated and confused. I thought their music was very good, but it was a lot more Electronic and whimsical than the Funky and gritty performance on NPR Tiny Desk, I then ended up seeing an interview with CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso where they explained how they had to adapt their sound in order to make it work for that kind of live performance; this made them even more intriguing to me, as it shows their massive talent. To be honest, I can not find a ton of information about this group online, which makes them even more interesting to me. From what I can gather, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso are both from Argentina and have been friends since elementary school and have made music together since high school. They have had varying levels of success on their own, but are mostly known for their music together. Before 2024, they have been releasing one-off singles since 2018. Over the years, songs like 2019’s ‘OUKE’ and 2022’s ‘PARA AFUERA’ did some numbers and helped put them on the map. CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso have never seen the amount of success they are seeing now, though. Earlier this year, they put out an album called BAÑO MARÌA, which I wanted to review below. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite songs are from CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso’s BAÑO MARÌA, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole!

This album starts out in a very ethereal and whimsical way with the song ‘BABY GANGSTA.’ This song has the kind of melody that makes me feel like I am floating through space when I hear it. The melody is so bright and sweet, and so full of texture. I really enjoy the varying levels of saturation that fill the synths on this track. There are many squeaky, futuristic-sounding sound effects sprinkled throughout the song that give it a very mechanical feeling. The beat for ‘BABY GANGSTA’ has an upbeat disco pop sound that is bound to get any dance floor bouncing when it comes on. As cool as the instrumental is, the thing that stands out about this track is the vocals. I really enjoy how the more raspy yet high pitch from Paco contrasts the lighter and more soothing tone from CA7RIEL. The way that their vocals differ from each other gives the track a ton of texture. ‘BABY GANGSTA’ is a fun and cool opener that certainly draws me in. ‘DUMBAI,’ which may be the group’s biggest song to this point, comes next. It is easy to see why this one was picked as the lead single, as it is so undeniably catchy. ‘DUMBAI’ has a much more simple and smooth instrumental than the one on the song that precedes it. The melody for this song is pretty light and straightforward. It is driven by shimmering, soft synths that sound like a bell or a chime ringing in the wind, which is super inviting. The beat for ‘DUMBAI’ feels rooted in Reggaeton, but is a bit faster and more punchy than most Reggaeton music. It is like Reggaeton fused with Disco music. The timing of the drums definitely has that Caribbean sound, but the speed of the drums is more in sync with fast Disco music. The vocals on this song are frankly great. Both CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso demonstrate their range as vocalists throughout this track. Both artists hit high and low notes that are pretty impressive, and they both sing and rap with multiple tones and flows that are so cool. They both stand out yet sound so strong individually at the same time. It is easy to see why ‘DUMBAI’ is popping off right now, as it is just such a bop. ‘SHEESH’ sees CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso go with a more heavy, House music-driven sound. The first thing I thought of when turning this one on was the Electronic music that Bad Bunny has dabbled in over the last few years, particularly songs like ‘DAKITI,’ ‘WHERE YOU ARE,’ and ‘CYBERTRUCK.’ Like those tracks, this is a futuristic House track with a bit of a Latin flair to it. I will say that this instrumental is a bit lower and harsher than any of those Bad Bunny tracks, though. The melody that drives this one is very gritty and almost mean-sounding, which I enjoy a lot. As cool as the instrumental is for ‘SHEESH,’ the vocals are even more interesting. I especially enjoy the higher notes that come from Paco Amoroso on the hook, as they give the song such an interesting texture. ‘SHEESH’ is a unique House banger where CA7RIEL and Paco show a darker side to their artistry. ‘MI DIOSA’ returns to the Dancey Reggaeton sound that we got at the beginning of the record. There is a bit of funkiness to ‘MI DIOSA’ that stands out and pops a bit that I enjoy a lot. The guitar riff that drives this one has a bit of a Latin Rock groove that is pretty captivating. Vocally, both CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso are a bit more understated than they were on the first three tracks. I will say, for the most part, ‘MI DIOSA’ does not have quite as strong vocals as some of the other tracks here do. ‘MI DIOSA’ is a pretty entertaining track, but it does not have as much magic as the first three songs do for me.

‘AGUA,’ which features TINI, is another one that has been popping off a bit from this album recently, and it is pretty easy to see why. This one has a considerably lighter and sweeter sound than any of the first four songs do. The melody that drives this one is very cozy and charming. The beat for this one has a pretty fast-paced Electro Pop sound that hits hard, sort of contrasting the melody and giving the song life. The vocals on ‘AGUA’ are great from all parties, but I do have to say I especially enjoy the performance from TINI. Her dainty and welcoming voice works so well on this instrumental and meshes with Paco Amoroso’s voice in particular very nicely. ‘AGUA’ may be one of the more lowkey songs on the record, but it works so well for what it is. We go from the softest song to this point to the hardest song to this point in ‘LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE.’ There is nothing close to sounding like this song before this on the album. For one, this is a straight-up Trap song. Albeit, it is a pretty strange Trap song, but it is still Trap. There is not much of a melody for ‘LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE.’ There is a bit of mechanical tone that comes in and out, but is pretty grating. The beat for this track is extremely textured and massive, and it totally matches the machine-like feeling of the “melody.’ The vocals on ‘LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE’ are super gruff and tough, going so well with the instrumental. I really enjoy it when the vocals get pitched down, as they give the song such a grainy feeling that is very cool. ‘LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE’ is an unordinary Trap banger that sticks out in the best way. ‘EL ÙNICO’ is the song that has been going the most viral on TikTok recently. This one starts with a melodic Trap sound, but this drum pattern quickly morphs into having more of an underground House tempo. The melody for this one is what I would call a pretty typical downtempo House sound as well. It has the kind of dark yet inviting melody that I would expect to hear at one of the warehouse House music raves that I frequented growing up. ‘EL ÚNICO’ has the kind of House sound that makes me want to party all night long. This instrumental is great, but the vocals are what take this song over the top. Both CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso stand out in their own way, in the best way. The second verse where Paco goes off is the most riveting section of the song though, and this part of the track is what has been captivating fans on Tik Tok since it started going viral recently. EL ÚNICO’ is a high-key Electronic banger that makes me want to party all night now. ‘PIRLO’ is a song that dials things back a considerable amount. In fact, this song actually has no beat, with its instrumental relying solely on the melody. This melody is pretty balmy but also somewhat melancholy. The guitar riff that drives ‘PIRLO’ has an unabashed Emo feeling. It immediately made me think of some of the acoustic EMO music that was popular when I was growing up. Because the instrumental is so low-key, the focus is obviously put on the vocals. Both artists show off their range on this one, hitting notes that give this so much emotion and emphasis. CA7RIEL shows off on this one. The power with which he sings with makes this track hit super hard and feel so weighty. ‘PIRLO’ is a laid-back song with a nostalgic quality that can tug at the heartstrings when it comes on.

‘VITAMINA’ is yet another song that has a pretty different style of instrumental than anything that precedes it. This one does go back to the Dance music trend that has been prevalent throughout this album, albeit a different kind than we have seen yet. When I hear this track, I immediately think of Jersey Club music. This song has the kind of rapid, off-center beat that songs like Nicki Minaj’s ‘Everywhere’ and Lil Uzi’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’ have. The melody for this one is pretty angelic and triumphant. This song has the kind of epic-sounding melody that makes me think of a joyous summer morning. The vocals on ‘VITAMINA’ are not particularly strong, but they do drive the song ahead nicely. CA7RIEL’s higher pitch and sultry tone on this track stand out a bit and add to the song’s exuberant sound. ‘VITAMINA’ is not the most exciting or sophisticated song here, but it has an uplifting tone I dig a lot. ‘COSAS RICAS’ sort of combines a few of the different styles of music we have seen on this album. The melody for this one has a very vibrant and atmospheric tone that feels pretty close to what we got on ‘VITAMINA.’ Like that melody, the melody for ‘COSAS RICAS’ has such a pleasant tone that just puts me in a good mood when I hear it. The beat for ‘COSAS RICAS’ is definitely Reggaeton, but there is a deliberate timing to it that also gives it a bit of a Trap feeling. This Reggaeton Trap fusion is pretty cool and makes this track very sticky. The vocals on ‘COSAS RICAS’ are very comforting. Both artists sing with this tempting tone that just draws me in as a listener when I hear this one. ‘COSAS RICAS’ is an alluring Reggaeton Trap song that feels like it has the potential to be a sleeper hit. CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso turn the energy back up to ten with the song ‘SUPERSÓNICO.’ This song has a pretty cool and distinctive Electro Pop sound that is once again not really similar to anything else on the record. It is almost tough for me to even think of something I can compare to ‘SUPERSÓNICO.’ The first thing I thought of when hearing this one is some of the strange Electropop music that Britney Spears was making in the early 2010s. In particular, this track makes me think of songs like ‘Work Bitch’ or ‘I Wanna Go.’ This is a very entertaining Electro Pop sound that I feel is underutilized. It is so high energy and bold, and it just makes me want to party all night long. Both CA7RIEL & Paco do well with matching the feeling of this intense instrumental. They both sing with a level of prominence and authority that makes the song feel so huge. ‘SUPERSÓNICO’ is a raucous club banger that will make anyone who loves Electropop want to rage the night away. CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso keep that party-style energy going massively on the last track, ‘DIABLO.’ This song is not quite as audacious or pushy as ‘SUPERSÓNICO,’ but it still definitely has that dancey feeling to it. This song goes back and forth between fast-paced Reggaeton, Jersey Club, music, and Trap music. This instrumental keeps me on my toes as a listener, as it is constantly morphing as the song progresses. The melody for this track has a dark yet inviting tone that is very cool and interesting. Neither CA7RIEL nor Paco Amoroso do anything particularly crazy on this track, but that is okay. Both of their performances are solid and do not take anything away from the vibrant feeling of the song. ‘DIABLO’ is not the most innovative or experimental song here, but it sends the album out on an energetic and enthralling note, which I can appreciate for sure. 

When looking at how some other people feel online about CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso’s BAÑO MARÌA, the discourse has been pretty intriguing and in my opinion, kind of harsh. I have not necessarily seen anyone bashing this record and I have not seen too many negative opinions, but it does look like some people(in particular, those people like me who are checking this album out months after its release) were pretty underwhelmed. I honestly feel like this group and this album sort of suffered from what people expected and perceived it to be based on that NPR Tiny Desk performance. For what it’s worth, BAÑO MARÌA sounds pretty much nothing like that performance. In that live set, the music was decidedly Funky, which felt very quirky for this style of Hispanic music. For the most part, that funk is not present on BAÑO MARÌA. I still think this is an entertaining album, though. Although not very groovy, there are a lot of riveting instrumentals on this album. I really like some of the Trap/Dance music fusions that are here, as they are pretty unlike what I am hearing from this group’s peers. As far as vocals go, both CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso slay throughout this record on so many tracks. There are a ton of instances where both of these artists show off their range and overall talent in multiple ways and prove why they need to be paid attention to. BAÑO MARÌA is not the kind of groovy Latin Hip Hop album that I necessarily expected, but it is fun and enjoyable for what it is; I will be paying attention to this group in the future because of this album, that is for sure

BEST TRACKS – ‘DUMBAI,’ ‘SHEESH,’ ‘AGUA’ FEAT. TINI,’ ‘LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE,’ ‘EL ÚNICO’, ‘VITAMINA’

6.95/10