The Puerto Rican pioneers of Dream-bow are being incredible again. From nightclubs to botanical gardens to opera concertos, the tropi-experimental group continues to bloom & mutate sounds with vibrating synths, glitchy pops, and lyrics that float above the clouds - all influenced by their island roots and techno-sonic instrumentation. This live concert - captured on film by the always-forward-thinking filmmaker & PHLAFF alum Macha Colón. This concert film is available in the AFROTAINO Lounge for a limited time - don't miss it.

Punto de Encuentro will be available on the homepage from May 30 8PM thru May 31 8PM.

Balún's album Prisma Tropical focuses an incredibly wide field of genres and influences into a revelatory sound that evokes both of the band's homes and the distance between them. In this new concert film, created for the Brandeis MusicUnitesUS residency under the direction of renowned Puerto Rican filmmaker and performance artist Gisela Rosario Ramos, Balún will explore the physical, emotional, metaphorical and illusory distance between these spaces and how these notions relate to their band dynamic, creative process and transnational experience in both Puerto Rico and New York.

Gisela Rosario Ramos (Macha Colón)
Puerto Rico // 2021
Concert Film
Spanish
47 minutes

The jazziest AfroCubana to hold up the UK-based record label, Brownswood Recordings, delivers this amazing artistic interpretative concert for the AFROTAINO Lounge. Produced by Alafia Films (a Toronto-based company run by herself and her filmmaker husband, Pablo Dewin), Sonocardiogram is also the name of her latest album, and the entire album tracklist is performed live in this concert film. Watch, listen and feel the Ashé!

Sonocardiogram is an audio-visual project inspired by the namesake album released by Dayme Arocena in 2019. It combines the songs of the album with video-art, drawing, photography, body painting, spoken-word and a live performance, exclusively created and performed by the visual artist Pablo Dewin and her.

Dayme Arocena & Pablo Dewin
Canada // 2020
Video Art
Spanish, English, & Portuguese
32 minutes

This Puerto Rican alternative soul singer has wowed millions with her music. You might have seen her recently rocking Tiny Desk meets AFROPUNK, NUEVOFEST, the world-famous Apollo Theater, or even at the Choliseo in San Juan Puerto Rico opening for Beyoncé's Mrs. Carter tour. Her video Sentir had its festival premiere at PHLAFF 2020 and her Mirame Ahora video will be part of PHLAFF’s 2021 Kick Off Celebration on May 30th, her second festival premiere with the PHLAFF Family . The best part is that she's given PHLAFF 2021 a performance for all AFROTAINO Lounge audiences to remember.

Ante la cancelación de todos los eventos en pricipio de la pandemia, decidimos juntarnos y grabar esta session pues no sabiamos cuando volveriamos a tocar juntos. Esto fue grabado en un lugar especial dentro del Bosque del Tercer Milenio, Puerto Rico.

Celso Gonzalez
Puerto Rico // 2020
Live Music Session
Spanish
22 minutes

The original & unique indie star Xenia Rubinos uses her powerful voice to create punky, minimalist beats and soulful melodies from scratch. Her music has blessed PHLAFF's festival audience two times already: once in 2019 via the festival feature doc, "I am leaving now (Ya Me Voy)" with her soundtrack hit, a very-Xenia remake of The Clash hit, "Should I stay or should I go"; the 2nd time was as her theatrical alter ego, 'Xenia2020' giving the Festival's Opening Night festivities a rare peek into her creative world decorated with boleros, glam, and caribbean tongue-in-cheek sarcasm. Coming through a charming 3rd time, inside the virtual AFROTAINO Lounge , Xenia Rubinos is back to create more jaw-dropping moments with this exclusive virtual show. 

Music maker Xenia Rubinos uses her powerful voice to create beats and melodies from scratch. Her sound grows from a wide palette of influences ranging from Caribbean rhythms and beat music to minimalism and indie rock all delivered with a soulful punk aura.

With dreamy harmonies & psych-folk sounds, Y La Bamba performs this exclusive concert for the AFROTAINO Lounge, tying in her soundtrack offering for one of this year's LOLA Award Winners, JOYRIDE. Performing alongside bandmate and fellow Pacific Northwest-based indie music star, Isabeau Keonaona Waia'u Walker, Y La Bamba frontwoman/singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza hypnotizes with every utterance of her potent lyrics and every strum of her swirly guitar melodies. Feeling like a Tarantino movie soundtrack, but crafted perfectly for the PHLAFF viewing audience.

Y La Bamba is a Latin indie alternative/experimental band led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Luz Elena Mendoza. She is a first generation Mexican American, and sings in both English and Spanish.