The new single ‘Friends’ is an upbeat and hopeful gem about falling in love, showcasing Mauri’s musical prowess as he plays each and every instrument on the track. The song’s accompanying visual is a glimpse into Los Retros’ world, piecing together footage of Mauri and his friends performing the song and documenting his run opening for Cuco on his sold-out US tour earlier this year.
A first-generation Mexican-American, 19-year-old Mauri began experimenting with music as a child, borrowing his older brother’s guitar at the early age of 8. At 16, he began to release his own songs online made with an old mixer, playing each instrument on the tracks himself. Inspired by record collections from his parents’ generation, Mauri formulated his own sound based on Central and South American soft-rock and alternative pop from the ’70s and ’80s, and his name is an homage to Chilean pop group Los Ángeles Negros.
‘Friends’ follows from Los Retros’ debut track and video for Stones Throw, ‘Someone To Spend Time With’, which racked up over 600k views in three weeks since the release. Watch the music video here.
Los Retros’ debut EP ‘Retrospect’ is a heart-baring journey that draws from Mauri’s own experiences, all told through ear-catching melodies and atmospheric sounds. Across the EP’s 6 songs, Los Retros reflects on life and love with intimate songs that span across a variety of influences from R&B to psychedelic rock.
Los Retros
‘Retrospect’
Stones Throw Records
June 21 / August 23
1. Never Have Enough
2. Friends
3. Love Tape
4. Nostalgic Vibrations
5. Oh Grace
6. Last Day On Earth
About Los Retros:
Los Retros, AKA Mauri Tapia, may only have just finished high school, but he’s on the brink of something much bigger. The nineteen-year-old musician has signed to Stones Throw and is set to release his debut EP Retrospect on June 21st.He joined Cuco earlier this year on his sold-out West Coast tour and will be playing shows around the US to celebrate the release of the EP.
A first-generation Mexican-American based in Oxnard, CA (home also to Stones Throw affiliates Madlib and Anderson .Paak), Mauri began playing music as a child, borrowing his older brother’s guitar when he was just eight years old. When he was around 16, he started putting tracks online that he’d recorded with an old second-hand mixer, on which he played all the instruments himself. Thanks purely to word of mouth, he built a loyal fan base online, racking up hundreds of thousands of streams, and began performing to sold-out audiences of young people who related to his heartfelt songs.
For inspiration, Mauri looks to the record collections of his parents’ generation: American AOR from the ’70s and ’80s, soft-rock crooners, and leftfield pop from Central and South America. (His name is an homage to Chilean pop group Los Ángeles Negros.) His first single for Stones Throw, ‘Someone To Spend Time With’, released with a video set at a house party, drew praise from the likes of The FADER, who called it “a lovable daydream custom-built for whiling away the hours to.”
Now, Los Retros is set to release his debut EP, ‘Retrospect’, a collection of open-hearted songs whose unforgettable melodies and woozily romantic atmospheres are perfect for the heady summer months. Unafraid to be vulnerable, Mauri colours his lyrics with his personal experiences, from the thrilling uncertainty of a platonic relationship about to tip over into romance on ‘Friends’, to his dedication of unwavering loyalty on ‘Nostalgic Vibrations’. True to his name, he dips into soulful R&B on ‘Never Have Enough’ and shimmering psychedelia on ‘Oh Grace’. Mauri says: “In my songs I’m just trying to make a beautiful 3 to 6 minute moment that makes you feel more positive about life.”
Stay connected with Los Retros:
Instagram | Bandcamp | iTunes | Spotify
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