The Animeros craft a genre-blending sound that drifts between the lush jungles of Colombia, the palm-lined streets of 1960s coastal Mexico, and the dusty cantinas of West Texas. "'Ponchote de Ritmo,' is heavily inspired by the South American cumbia psicodélica and chicha sounds of the 60s and 70s," guitarist Mauro Lopez comments. "When we wrote it, we knew we wanted to create a big sound while also leaving a lot of space in the song. We also knew we wanted to keep it somewhat open ended -- this lets us feel the space and energy of the room when we perform it live. It becomes something new every night, and we feel this is a part of our sound and cumbia psicodélica music in general."
With musical notes that span well beyond genres like bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia, The Animeros not only make their audience hit the dance floor, but they also invite their listeners and tastemakers alike to a glimpse of their rich cultural upbringing. Bassist Nicolas Sanchez's Colombian roots, growing up listening to his parents’ beloved salsa and cumbia; guitarist Mauro Lopez's parents’ Mexican and American discography, which spanned from traditional Tejano to improvised jazz; and drummer Nick Tozzo's love for American and Latin music, the latter stemming from his college years, leading him to study and live in Colombia to experience music greats first-handedly. All of this, paired with their undeniable chemistry and meshed with their now hometown Austin’s innovative creative sounds, has led them to create the unique sonic movement that is The Animeros, a name inspired by Colombian shamans who would usher lost souls to their peace.
