Alan Rosales keeps tribal alive with Tuku Tu Tuku EP

Alan Rosales may not be reinventing tribal guarachero but he is definitely injecting some much-needed longevity into it. On his latest album, Tuku Tu Tuku, the producer changes the formula enough to keep the genre fresh and interesting, rescuing it from what could have been a slide into kitsch territory, pointy boots and all.

Throughout the album’s six songs, Rosales, with the aid of a few guest artists, cements his status as the Prince of Tribal (as some have taken the liberty of calling him). The songs give tribal a new life by injecting them with doses of Trap, Disco, EDM, and more. Rosales, born and raised in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa, is the son of Pedro Rosales of Sonido Marshall, a popular sonidero group in the city.

His exposure to sonideros undoubtedly fueled his passion for various musical styles thanks to their penchant for making any and every musical genre into dance floor anthems.

SEE ALSO: Do you know who ‘El Twanguero’ is? The album starts off with his collaboration with the Ghetto Kids dubbed “La Bala.” The tempo immediately lets us know we’re in for something different as the bass line and pre-Colombian/pre-Hispanic sounds are more akin to the work of Mexicans With Guns than 3Ball MTY or Toy Selectah.

Rosales follows it up with “Fuego” featuring DJ Mouse. The song follows the more traditional “tuku tu tuku” rhythm of tribal (hence the album title) and throws in some thick synth lines. The dancefloor-ready track is backed by another banger: “Danza Del Sol” featuring Los Master Plus.

Los Master Plus are famous for their ingenious-yet-ridiculous-yet-entertaining Norteña-fied versions of American Pop songs. They switch it up this time for something original and it works wonderfully as their style mixes perfectly with Rosales’s tribal. Don’t be surprised if this one makes its way into a few night clubs in the US.

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Rosales goes solo for “Ritmo Suelto,” which takes the music into slightly darker territory and gives him the opportunity to display his skills. He then teams up with Otto of 3Ball MTY on “Alegria.” The album then closes with “La Rumbacha” featuring El Catorce.

It’s a great way to close the album thanks to the mix of tribal, cumbia, and even some EDM. The album is available to stream on the artist’s Soundcloud account.