Rodrigo y Gabriela

Rodrigo y Gabriela is the duo Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero, from Mexico City, who have developed a pretty unique style of music that involves two acoustic guitars playing rock as flamenco. They come from a metal background, having played in a metal band together in Mexico City. Their affection for the genre shows a great deal in their work, whether in their covers or original compositions (see 2014's 9 Dead Alive). Their work is all instrumental and has been adding more orchestral elements and incorporating electric guitars into their work in recent years, though their earlier work was far more stripped down. Quintero generally handles the bass line, the riff, and the percussion on the body of her guitar while Sánchez takes on the melodic line, the lead, and the solos. Both are virtuoso performers, which makes them an exhilarating act that is both highbrow and immediately accessible at the same time.