MERIDIAN BROTHERS

Since 1998, Colombian composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Eblis Álvarez, based in Bogotá, has created a unique blend of psychedelic sounds under the name Meridian Brothers. This project, one of Álvarez’s most consistent and prolific, combines the experimental and the traditional, the old and the futuristic, always with a touch of randomness and intentionality. Although it began as a one-man studio band, Meridian Brothers expanded to include live musicians, performing for a growing international audience. The penultimate release, “Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento,” explored the fictional history of a veteran salsa band, questioning truth and illusion. It was released by the revived Ansonia Records. Now, Meridian Brothers returns with “Mi Latinoamérica Sufre,” a conceptual album that explores the potential of the electric guitar in a Latin tropical context. Inspired by the African music of soukous and highlife guitar bands, this album avoids the clichés of progressive rock, opting for a pure and clean sound. “Mi Latinoamérica Sufre” pays homage to the Congolese rumba of the 70s, Ghanaian highlife, and Nigerian afrobeat, mixing these influences with Latin rhythms like cumbia, champeta, Brazilian tropicalia, and psychedelic rock. The result is a sonic experiment full of invention and emotion, redefining the format of the Afro-Latin guitar band.