The Animeros, Nick Tozzo (drummer and percussionist), Nicolas Sanchez (bassist), and Mauro Lopez (guitarist) craft a genre-blending sound that drifts between the lush jungles of Colombia, the palm-lined streets of 1960s coastal Mexico, and the dusty cantinas of West Texas.
Their first release, “Gózalo” makes its debut this morning alongside a brand new music video for directed by Robert Schober. Lopez says about the track, “When we first met Dan, we were blown away by his knowledge and love for Latin music,” Lopez remarked. “And we knew pretty early on that we were in good hands. That same energy made for an incredible time in the studio where we felt we had the freedom to explore different song ideas, all while working closely together to hammer out final touches.”
The Animeros and Auerbach connected by luck, fate and chance as he happened to hear the band performing down the block from his hotel room during SXSW last year. An invitation to join Auerbach at his Nashville, TN studio followed shortly after that.
“As we threw around song ideas with Dan in the weeks leading up to the studio, he sent over Esteban Jordan’s rendition of “Gózalo Mulata,” Lopez commented. “We immediately fell in love with the raw, soulful energy that the song emits; listening to it truly feels like getting down in a dark, dusty discoteca on the edge of town. And so we took it and ran with it — finding a way to incorporate our sound while paying homage to a South Texas latin soul legend.”
With upcoming performances scheduled at Austin City Limits Music Festival in October and more music on the way from the band, their story is just beginning.
