Country: Uruguay
It would be fair to say that most Americans don’t know much about Montevidean music, considering most of them have likely never heard of city of Montevideo in Uruguay (up until now, that included myself). Luckily for us there is singer-songwriter Juan Wauters, who hails from Montevideo and who’s upcoming album MVD Luv is a love letter to his hometown.
His most recent single “Manejando pow Pando” is an homage to the classic songwriting style of candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan musical and dance tradition with origins in Montevideo during the eighteenth century. The track blends afro-carribbean drums and calypso rhythms with acoustic and electronic textures, for an airy, serene tone.
Other tracks like “Dime Amiga” are built more around the acoustic guitar, for a style of Latin folk music that will speak to you even if you’re not fluent in the language (which I am not). Wuaters also sings in English, like in the synth folk pop number “If It’s Not Luv”, which is as innocent and sunny as an early Beatles song.
There’s a lot to luv (love) here. Listen to these tracks and become familiar with Juan Wauters in our World Watch Playlist!
The Indy Review 
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