A strange thing happened as we taped Alt.Latino this week — something so odd, so earthshaking and so out of this world that no one is quite sure where to go from here. Felix Joaquin Contreras started dancing.
It was the '80s-infused pop ballad "Lost You" by Zeds Dead (featuring Twin Shadow and D'Angelo Lacy) that did it. Contreras, lover of jams and relaxing music, started moving his feet, cocking his head slightly. And before we knew it, he'd ripped his shirt off, run out of the studio and into the newsroom area to breakdance on the editorial table. Decades of not dancing to pop had taken their toll — though, to be fair, Felix dances to cumbia quite well.
OK, that last part did not happen, though I wish it had. But Felix does finally confess that I've been influencing his tastes. Once a dancer, I love indie pop and bring it to the show often-- and frankly, after years of co-hosting Alt.Latino, Felix has been changing my tastes. I now enjoy trippier, mellower "soundscapes," as he calls them.
But the most influence is wielded by you, our listeners. You constantly send us recommendations for great new bands and singles that expand our musical worldview. So please, tell us what music is making you want to jump on your boss' table and break it down.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
