Bachaco Much like the big-bottomed ant that shares its name, all it takes is one (sound)bite of Bachaco’s cumbia-dancehall-reggae fusion to get your entire body shaking. The Miami-based band, with members hailing from Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the U.S., plays high-energy, feel-good music that’s become emblematic of the Latin alternative scene in South Florida (think Locos por Juana and Xperimento). But it’s not all fun and games; in songs like “El Inmigrante,” they tackle tough social issues, like the plight of the undocumented immigrant whose kids grow up without him. Don’t worry about the language barrier, there’s plenty of English peppered into the songs to keep your bearings.
— Ailen Arreaza