06/10/2024
We love tango to alternative music too, and the topic of recent (10 years) alternative tango music came up. Here's a smattering of tracks from the last ten years across a range of styles that I've enjoyed and hope you will too!
(Do share your own favourite recent alt-tango tracks!)
Uplifting instrumental:
"abcdefu" instrumental cover by Vitula, or basically any of the many instrumental pop song covers popularised by Bridgerton. Bonus points for being a cover of a song by Gayle that is itself a bona fide TikTok hit with the youngsters 😅
https://open.spotify.com/track/6mLAhQxed5mAMyXW1ljyfH?si=a3e7d12865d14307
Blues/folk/country:
"Nothing Good Can Come From This" by Amy Speace. A nice easy end-of-night slow dance song with a little frisson of danger.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4ymNjes5pFUC3AIS0DR6QM?si=b887308972e844b5
Sad sentimental:
"What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish for Barbie film. Achingly beautiful and easy to rest in the music, more bonus points for bridging generations thanks to Barbie and Billie.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6wf7Yu7cxBSPrRlWeSeK0Q?si=23edb5be5a854278
Powerful vocal:
"Used To Be Young" by Miley Cyrus. This one cuts a little too close to the bone for this lapsed DJ millennial 😅 A passionate rollercoaster of dynamics that's still not too hard for everyone who used to be young to keep up with.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0Nfh4u0J4bajcyp5pzaWCx?si=c9cd02d8b22d4d24
Dark urban vals/swing:
"That's How it Goes" by Zoe Wees + 6LACK. A cool vals number to pick up the energy and attitude.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6o5TECt1aCm1HjUzp43OgL?si=273d4bf1206d49b4
Electronic symphonic:
"The Arena" by Lindsey Stirling. Has the epic-instrumental-dubstep fad been and gone in last ten years? Probably. Nevertheless, it feels like it would be remiss to omit Lindsey Stirling as a staple of acrobatic neuvo tango dancing, and, love it or hate it, she gets credit for dancing tango escenario for the music video of the same song.
https://open.spotify.com/track/7mNMansANGP8mh7kNroHXB?si=e76b587950b64e63
Urban blues:
"Skin" by Rag'n'Bone Man. Powerful baritone blues interleaved with an anthemic chorus, this will pound on the dancefloor. "Human" from the same album is also excellent.
https://open.spotify.com/track/6y2Kaz9QI01XBKJ8mTb7Pf?si=bc722de35eab4d42
Dark jazz/soul:
"The Devil You Know" by Sharon Kovacs. Amy Winehouse infused smoky jazz over sampled riffs. Groovy late-night track.
https://open.spotify.com/track/48owwMzih4WNxLsv2e6Ejx?si=e0b7dad4eb5f4a1f
World-music milonga:
"Canta Querida" by LISZA. A groovy world-music alternative milonga reminiscent of Kevin Johansen.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4WhytNQFIaWokpLmUvlo6T?si=e37aa94e11c34595
Instrumental milonga:
"Despacito" instrumental cover by 2 Cellos. Before Bridgerton made instrumental covers mainstream but still in the last ten years 😉, here's a fun dynamic instrumental milonga of the smash hit. If I play this during the milonga for tango dancing, I love to play the Louis Fonsi original afterwards as well to close the party.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3vqyauyYbp9MqUwrCEmWJ0?si=139ffd54f5f5412b
Retro-chic vals:
"Be More" by Stephen Sanchez. A juxtoposition of viral TikTok sensation and stunning 50's-era vocals, this is another generational bridge that's a very comfortable song to close out the night!
https://open.spotify.com/track/306H2K5MwE0Z6jJj0jEuar?si=a1e31a1513d34e96
