“La Quinta Estacion” is Spanish for “The Fifth Season.” Although this band originated from Spain, after a Mexican telenovela (soap opera) adopted one of their songs as its theme, they toured the country and decided to make it their home. “Que te quería” (“That I Loved You”) is the first fiery single from their 2009 album.

Ramón Hernández Barajas was born to paint. Take a tour of his studio while he discusses his work and his “armchair” philosophy of painting.

Uruguayan musician Gonzalo Yáñez has been making music from a very young age. After working with different groups, he began his solo career in 2004. In this song, the title track of his latest album, he blends acoustic guitar with synthesized sounds, and the catchiness of the chorus contrasts with the darkness of the narrative lyrics.

Manu Chao is French, but he has Spanish roots. He sings in six or seven different languages, from Spanish to English to Arabic, and his music has even more diverse influences. “Clandestino,” the title track from Manu’s first album, deals with the issue of immigration: “I wrote it about the border between Europe and those coming from poorer nations. Look around – maybe thirty percent of the people in this street are clandestino (illegal).”

Bajofondo is, according to the group, a “collective of composers, singers and artists.” They started out as the Bajofondo Tango Club with a strong tango influence, but have since broadened their sound. Here they talk about the collective and begin a discussion of their sound.

Camilo Lara is the man behind the Mexican Institute of Sound (when he’s not busy being the president of EMI Music in Mexico). With this project, he intended to create a fusion of traditional elements with electronic music. MIS tunes have been invading TV and advertising lately; see if you recognize the song “Alocatel.”

Quiero Club is an indie band from Monterrey, Mexico. The name of the group (in Spanish, “I want club”) points to the types of music they combine: rock, pop, and electronic music. From their second album released in 2008, “Minutos de Aire” is a collaboration with Jorge Gonzalez from the Chilean band Los Prisioneros. You don’t want to miss this trippy adventure of a video!

Formerly known as “Bitman y Roban,” DJ Bitman is one of the new faces of Chilean music. But DJ Bitman’s music is far from belonging to only one place: you can hear traces of Brazilian samba and even some New York hip hop. There is also some Caribbean salsa and some European dub. It’s not a surprise that people from everywhere enjoy it!

Nothing lasts forever. Sadly, sometime in 2001 the fabulous Argentinian band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs announced their final tour. But after a long hiatus, in April of 2008, they announced a comeback! This song comes from the album they released that year. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, or LFC, is the most famous ska band of Latin America, and an obligatory part of any dance playlist!

Novalima is very aware of the importance of Peruvian folk music, not just in their sound but in another musical genres as well. Paco de Lucía, a Spanish flamenco musician, might have made the sound of the “cajón” (a box-like musical instrument) famous, but that sound is Peruvian as it gets.

How is the weather on the fifth season? According to this video we should expect some winds with a few sunny flashbacks. And there is also a chance of Marc Anthony, mostly know for being Jennifer Lopez’s significant one.

Continue learning about what specific kinds of music go into the mix to make the special sound that is Novalima.

In the song “Mentiras,” or “Lies,” by the Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles, a girlfriend hears rumors about her boyfriend going out with other women, but he tells her the rumors are pure lies. Who’s the real liar? Watch the video to find out. Shot in a bar in New York City, the camera follows the lead singer of the group around and “mockuments” the evening he sings about.

The Peruvian group Novalima took a break from their European tour for an interview. Learn about the branching out and coming back together that the band members went through to achieve their rich and eclectic sound.

In the Mexican film Rudo y Cursi, Gael García Bernal plays one of two brothers who leave the countryside to gain fame as soccer players. The brothers are nicknamed Rudo (Rude or Rough) and Cursi (Corny or Tacky), and from the looks of this video, you can see why. Enjoy this over-the-top version of Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me.”