Rock en español continued to move in many different directions after the 21st century arrived. Everything from ska-punk to emo to rap-metal to screamo has been recorded by Spanish-speaking rockers, and anyone who seriously follows the Latin market can tell that Spanish has long since become the world’s second most important language for rock music. Mirroring English-language rock, the rock en español field has its share of artists who are hard rocking yet introspective, and one Mexican outfit of the 21st century that pulls off that type of approach notably well is Hummersqueal. Di: Helo, the band’s debut album, was not finished overnight; formed in 2000, Hummersqueal started recording this CD in late 2003 and did not finish recording it until early 2006. But Di: Helo was worth waiting for; this is a solid alternative pop/rock effort that strikes a healthy balance between passion and melancholia. Emotionally complex tracks like “Estoy Harto de Ti” (“I’m Sick of You”), “Consequencias” (“Consequences”) and “No Me Mires Así” (“Don’t Look at Me That Way”) do not go for immediacy or the quick fix; Hummersqueal’s songs tend to be angular, and there are plenty of nuances in both their lyrics and their melodies (some of which hint at shoegazer music). In fact, one may need to listen to Di: Helo several times in order to fully absorb and appreciate the richness of the material. But the more one listens to this album, the more one realizes how satisfying a contribution Hummersqueal has made to the more introspective side of rock en español. – Alex Henderson
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