Tropa Magica

Tropa Magica is East LA based brothers Davis and Rene Pacheco who play a form of garage cumbia that is filtered through a western twang and an overt surf rock esthetic. They are clearly having a ball in the way they play up their regional musical heritage with full conviction, while staying tethered to an alt-rock sound, and keeping one foot in the funk and disco world. Their music is consistently upbeat and energetic, bursting with bright tones, dance grooves, and an infectious sense of fun. They switch between English and Spanish as the mood strikes. David is the regular singer whose relatively rough voice is a good match to the band's celebratory feel, while Renee, who is often on the backing vocals, has a more wistful voice with romantic undertones.