Dominican Duo Martox is Keeping Latin Alternative Music Alive with “Mente”
Dominican duo Martox is pushing the limits of the Latin music label. The guys come through with the fresh single “Mente” that sounds like The Lumineers in Spanish.
Recently Martox gave bolero a much-needed update.
Martox is made up of Juan Martínez and Eduardo Baldera, two childhood friends. The former is the singer and the latter is the producer. While in quarantine this past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the guys have focused on making their music that’s starting to make a splash. In January, Martox released “Un Bolero,” which gave the age-old sound a refreshing R&B update. The lyrics deal with a toxic relationship, but sonically, the song is a sweet listen.
With every release, Martox are taking “Latin” music to new places.
Music is Spanish is usually lumped together under the Latin label for categorical reasons, but Martox is showing there’s diversity in Spanish music with their output. For their new single “Mente,” the guys uniquely bring together the worlds of folk music, R&B, and a bit reggaeton. A serene whistle backs Martínez’s striking vocals as he seeks peace after a breakup.
“‘Mente’ represents closure after a rough ending to a long relationship,” said Martox in a statement. “It’s actually one of the first songs that we started during the lock down here in the Dominican Republic. We tested out a bunch of different styles, but ultimately we stuck to what we know best: soft romantic rhythms with a minimal fusion of reggaeton beats.”
These Dominicanos already have a Juan Luis Guerra co-sign.
Mardox’s come-up in the Dominican Republic is even more impressive because the duo’s genre-bending sound is breaking through the country’s current dembow dominance. In 2019, the guys got one of the biggest co-signs when local legend Juan Luis Guerra reposted their cover of his song “Amapola.”
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