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.

Novalima mixes Peruvian folk music with electronic beats. Touring has become an important source of inspiration. That’s how they translate their musical roots onto the dance floor. Universal tunes with local sounds!

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

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.

We continue to talk with VW fans in Venezuela. There’s something about that German engineering that gets into Latin blood, it seems. Fans rave that they’re beautiful, unique and reliable, running on pure gasoline.

“Reinvention” could be Enrique Bunbury's middle name. He’s a prolific composer, always finding inspiration in various books, movies, songs, and moods. And he thrives on creative collaborations. In the second part of YABLA’s exclusive interview, Bunbury opens up and tells us about the creative process behind his music.

We had the chance to interview Spanish superstar Enrique Bunbury about his music, his art. The former Héroes del Silencio lead singer has been enjoying a successful solo career since 1996. Now he’s promoting his most recent album, Las consecuencias, which couldn’t be more different from his previous album.

Depedro is the solo project of Spanish singer and guitar player Jairo Zavala. Here, Yabla talks to the talented musician from Madrid about his exploration of Latin American pop, picking up new instruments on tour in Mexico, his musical beginnings and his appearances with U.S.-based Calexico.

Bajofondo is the fusion of different musicians from the Río de la Plata area, Uruguayans and Argentineans. In 2003, they won the Latin Grammy for “Best Pop Instrumental Album” for their new genre: Electronic Tango. We interviewed Luciano Supervielle and Martín Ferres after a show in Germany about their most recent European tour.

If you go to the beach and just sit on the sand, this could be your chance to change things. Instead of just contemplating the waves and watching the surfers, embrace the ocean: Start surfing with some basic lessons from our friends in Costa Azul Surf Shop.

We love surfing and we love nice, friendly people. In this one small store in Los Cabos, we ran into two of our favorite things. Come hear the owner and a star employee share their knowledge of different boards. They’re very helpful with beginners.

You may know the baraja española, the Spanish deck of cards, with its classic renderings of kings and knights in four suits. Our illustrator friend Antonio Vargas created a uniquely Mexican baraja with native imagery drawing from the pre-Columbian Aztec, Olmec, Toltec and Mayan cultures.

We learn more about summer fruits, thanks to our friends at Fruteria Los Mangos. So many varieties, colors and recipes to explore. Anyone up for a colorful pomegranate margarita?

Our surf-loving friend Antonio Vargas is a talented illustrator with a varied career. Here we see some of his more commercial work and some of what he does for fun—like an illustrated magazine and notebook doodles.

We visit a simple fruit stand in Mexico to find tasty avocados, smallish watermelons from the third harvest and two types of sweet mangoes. Ah, a bit of nature’s bounty found under the mango trees.