Dos Santos

Chicago-based alt-Latinx band Dos Santos will release their new album, City of Mirrors, next Friday, October 15th on International Anthem. Today, they present a new single, “Alma Cósmica,” which follows “A Tu Lado,” the title track, and “A Shot in the Dark.” “Alma Cósmica” thrums with percussion and baritone saxophone. Its quick tempo and chanting vocals urge listeners to power through any existential crises because it’s time to act. Bandleader Alex Chavez elaborates: “These enchanting desert melodies sound out across the borderlands of self, asking: Where am I going? And who am I? The border divides and defines places. But it is equally a place unto itself—a borderland. It is the forbidden place where we dwell.”

Dos Santos is made up of bandleader Alex Chavez, drummer Daniel Villarreal-Carrillo, percussionist ​Peter “Maestro” Vale, bassist Jaime Garza, and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Nathan Karagianis. In order to create an honest, unique, and border-defying but broadly communicable sound, they decided to incorporate a sixth member –  artist, producer, and longtime friend of the band Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle, NOMO). As a result, City of Mirrors is cinematic in its journey, reflecting sounds from across the Americas combined with Chavez’s compelling poetic narratives. Its 13 tracks consolidate the band’s unique identities, creative and cultural roots, and their penchant for honoring traditional Latinx music with contemporary compositional expressions and production techniques. It achieves the band’s mission to push against their own musical boundaries while also exploring themes of social justice, migration, and contemporary human struggle.

On October 30th, Dos Santos will bring their incredible live show to Chicago’s Marz Community Brewing. Celebrating both the release of City of Mirrors and Dia de los Muertos, the outdoor all-day festival-like affair (from 4pm-10pm) will feature Austin-based Colombian psych trio Nemegata, as well as DJ sets from an all-female sound-selector line-up including La Love Maker, La Colocha, Fajita Banana, and Volcan. Marz will also be releasing a special Dos Santos beer, “Santa Vida,” to celebrate the occasion. Tickets are on sale now. As COVID restrictions are lifted, there will be more Dos Santos touring news to come.