"Out of the ordinary" - Albuquerque Journal
"Smooth, energetic, and partyistic, what else could you ask for? Good shit, check it out..." - Deep Into The Music
Nohe & Sus Santos (Nohe and Her Saints) has had a remarkable first two years of existence. In that time they have played on stages across the country and shared some of those stages with the diverse likes of Ozomatli, Red Pears, Making Movies, and Samatha Fish. They have released two singles, “Mal Amor” and “Cumbia Buena”, to fantastic response and their music will appear in the feature length film "¿Dónde Está La Cigueña? " (Where Is The Stork?, release date 2021) Now they are readying their debut release, the at once subtle and intense - and completely sublime - "Tempestad", released on May 22 (Santo Records/Avokado Artists/distributed by Casete).
The new CD brings together everything that make Nohe & Sus Santos such a distinctive Latinx act. The four-piece band incorporates alt-rock en espanol, quirky cumbia and indie pop grooves (and beyond!). It is soulful, passionate and possesses a healthy dose of attitude. Celebrated Honduran vocalist Nohelia Sosa completes a group of fabulosos musicians that can only be described as excitingly fresh, with a style that is all its own. "Tempestad" consists of 8 original compositions along with 2 classic songs interpreted by The Santos. With songs about love, loss, and healing, "Tempestad" refers to the storm of life and the cleansing that happens when the tempest has passed.
“"Tempestad" is the result of experiences involving our four individual stories, expressed by our different nationalities” enthuses Nohe. “Combining our passions and influences has been our greatest individual, personal contributions to this album. We incorporate rhythms and styles that move us, sometimes in places you don’t expect. There are no barriers, no walls, no communication breakdowns….just our Santos music!”
Featuring musicians from Honduras, Mexico, and the United States, Nohe & Sus Santos finds its stride in creating songs that do much more than simply cross language and cultural borders. The band fosters a multicultural experience empowered by the new Latinx generation, one of positive messages of self-identification and respect for their heritage.
For the album, Nohe delivers her unmistakeable vocal chops and overall positive and powerful vibe while her “Santos” provide the foundation and flow for her lyrics and melodies. Mexican-American musician, singer/songwriter Rafael Herrera, along with being the heartbeat of the group on drums and percussion, wrote and collaborated on the album’s compositions, adding vocals. Guitarist Randy Sanchez brings his unique take on the guitar - and a mastery of its tone - to the overall sound of the album and bassist Justin Bransford utilizes his extensive knowledge of music, composition and timbre to round out the band while providing the pulse of the album’s style and sound.
One of "Tempestad"’s focus tracks is the infectious “Cumbia Triste”, with a bounce that belies its title. Nohe shares vocals with her santo drummer Rafael Herrara, who also penned the track. “It is a cumbia, but in the most untraditional sense.” Rafael explains. “The guitar break is pure rock in sound and tone, it takes the song to a hard grooving vibe. It is a tune that will definitely get you moving!” The song is featured in the current trailer for "¿Dónde Está La Cigueña?"
“Pajarito” is inspired by traditional Mexican ranchera but has a distinctive indie rock vibe with a pulsing drum beat, swinging upright bass and the ever effervescent and vivacious voice of Nohe.
The group also takes on - or more correctly reconstructs - Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” into a bouncy chica groove. Bassist Justin Bransford borrowed elements from bluegrass music to add to guitarist Randy Sanchez’s arrangement. Nohe was full on committed to singing in English, too. “It was so much fun to layer melodies and rhythms from different parts of the song, mutating them and then adding others we heard, until we had made it something all our own.” states Randy.
"Tempestad" finds its home in a place where rock and pop interweave with Latin and cumbia rhythms. It is a sound that is as universal as it is distinctive. But at the same time it is more. Nohe & Sus Santos, whose live shows are explosive, colorful, vibrant, fun affairs that ooze with stellar musicianship, bold performance and attitude, have succeeded in transferring all of that and more to the musical whirlwind that is "Tempestad".
And now Nohe & Sus Santos are ready to bring the tempest to national and international audiences. And you won’t be seeking shelter from this storm.