BALTHVS Releases Single 'Asha' Ahead of New Album
The upcoming album, "Harvest," is due out July 19th.
By: Josh Sharpe May. 17, 2024
Adding to the epic rollout of BALTHVS’ album Harvest, is their 6th single “Asha.”
With the new single BALTHVS’ mixes a Latin rhythmic groove with traditional melodies of Azerbaijan and the Middle East to create a sonically hypnotic mixture that only the band can conjure. “Asha'' is available now.
After selling out several shows on its N.A. and European tour, including its very first L.A. show at the tastemaker venue the Lodge Room in Highland Park, BALTHVS has quickly gained a passionate audience following. As the rise of psychedelic music popularity gains steam, BALTHVS is at the forefront, with a fusion of surf rock and middle eastern melodies laid over the cumbia from their hometown of Bogota, Colombia.
The band was named alongside heavy hitters like The Black Keys and Bootsy Collins as Grammy.com’s 10 Bands to Watch at SXSW 2024, an impressive feat for a band that began only four years ago. They’ve also recently been added to Austin City Limits, Outside Lands and will open for Jungle on select US Dates.
Released on Mixto Records, Harvest was composed by all three band members, Balthazar Aguirre, Johanna Mercuriana, and Santiago Lizcano. It's a reflection of where the band is currently. After 4 years of the industry grind, they have seen massive growth in the digital sphere with over 15 million streams.
“Harvest is a time of abundance, where our growth has allowed us to become full-time professional musicians. More than money or things, having art be your full-time occupation feels like the greatest of blessings and a huge responsibility,” says BALTHVS.
The trio spent a month at a tropical summer house in La Mesa, Colombia to record. As the band recalls, “More than a studio we wanted to be inspired by nature. So we brought our recording equipment there and started working.”
The tropical landscape served as more than just a backdrop, it was the wellspring of inspiration for BALTHVS. Unlike their previous albums, where Balthazar Aguirre took the lead in recording, composing, producing, and arranging, the music emerged as a collective effort. All three contributed equally to the creation of every song. Thinking back on the recording process, BALTHVS says, “It’s very hot in La Mesa, and the only air conditioning we had was in the recording room in order to protect the gear from overheating. It was literally making music in your underwear drenched in sweat, you can’t get more intimate than that with your bandmates.”
Harvest features vocals that harmonize like instruments, weaving lyrical poetry into a tranquil groove. Most evident in songs like “Like Coconut Water,” an effervescent song that captures the essence of a tropical escape. “Anouk” is a gorgeous groove that is dedicated to the house cat at La Mesa, the sphinx-like guardian who set watch during the recording sessions. “Mango Season” a laid back, funky and soulful instrumental groove that is perfect for relaxing, skateboarding and looking at clouds.
“Aguacero” is one of the few compositions with lyrics and sung in Spanish by bassist, vocalist Johanna Mercuriana; it was inspired by 4 days of non-stop rain, truly influenced by their surroundings – that heat, humidity and abundance of water, both in a physical and emotional sense. “Lovin’” a ballad about such a fun and wonderful aspect to life and “Sun & Moon” is 1 of 2 songs that were not written in La Mesa, however after their Fall 2023 Tour, energized by electronic music, BALTHVS comments, “we wanted to try and replicate a dancing groovy tune in our own style.”
Harvest is a sonic testament to the last four years of artistic and personal growth and building a musical family across borders. The band comments, “It summarizes a beautiful stage of our life and career as friends and musicians,” they continue, “Especially, we would like to thank our manager, Oz McGuire and the team at Mixto for manifesting our music on vinyl and for helping with the live shows. We found a family thousands of miles away. But mostly we gotta thank all the people that listened to our music, bought a record and/or came to one of the shows. You make it happen and it means the world, thank you for this Harvest.” Harvest is set to be released on July 19th.
About BALTHVS
BALTHVS is a Colombian psychedelic funk trio formed in 2020. Best known for their eclectic style, which fuses elements of Middle Eastern Music, Disco, House, Funk, Psychedelia, Indie Rock, Surf and Cumbia into a cohesive whole. The band is notable for their energetic shows, live improvisation and prolific output. Since their formation, the band has released over 39 singles and 3 full length albums, accumulating over 15 million streams worldwide. The group has performed in the biggest rock music festival in Colombia, Rock al Parque, has toured extensively in the United States, gracing SXSW three times in row as well as 7 countries in Europe. They will perform at major festivals such as Outside Lands and Austin City Limits this year.
Photo credit: Santi Pulecio
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