Chico Sonido Kin Kon Records (2009) If you were raised in Los Angeles, then you are aware that Mexicans have a  deep history with the city since its inception. We can date back to the time when Califas was Mexico, but even more recently, we can acknowledge that the tenuous line that borders Mexico and California hardly separates the amalgam between the two. From the infamous Zoot Suiters, to the intriguing Low-riders, the hybridization of Mexican American culture is undeniable. And with salsa, conjunto jaracho, and banda as staples in our music catalogue, there is yet another sound that we can add to our collection. Combining all the latter, but welcoming the discotheque beats that our parents boogied to in the '70s, this new genre offers a fresh perspective on Mexico's dance scene. Music producer and beat maker Chico Sonido is a recent transplant to Los Angeles and has been whipping this mash-up every 2^nd and 4th Tuesday at Mas Exitos in Glassel Park. His latest project Chico Sonido is a colorful blend of glam rock, acid disco and Latin house electro that mimics the magnetism of Studio 54 and the novelty of Mexican folklore. The track "Bikinis Y Rock" opens like a psychedelic- odyssey, doused in heavy guitar riffs, ascending into an agitated frenzy, and slowly dissipating with the subtle addition of breaks and lasers. The following number "Ye Ye Ye" slaps on the drums staying true to Latin polyrhythms, yet the spacey bleeps draw futuristic elements from the Italo era. And the infectious warped-out, cosmic number "A Bailar (El Ritmo)" flirts with the harpsichord and spacey synthesized effects that could easily be referenced in a '80s video game. And staying true to the days when disco reined the dance floor, "Mas Disotheque" samples vintage Latin vinyl, reverberating with electric percussions that are present in Nu-Disco or Freestyle. Balancing off the album, "Echo Parque Break" lays it thick with a minor key melodica intonation and wah-pedaled guitar stringing that evokes a sense of wanderlust. With 15 tracks deep, you are sure to get lost in a maze of music. Resembling the likes of DJ RJD2, Chico Sonido is all-inclusive, mingled with chopped-up samples and hard breaks that produce a clamorous effect. But Sonido does well, homogenizing sounds together to create a dance-friendly experience. Lest not forget, disco was conceived in the Latino communities and later, commodified into a lucrative market. Who is to say this new music form won't be the next sensation on the streets.  *** http://www.chicosonido.com/