Los Bitchos – ‘Talkie Talkie’ album review: a mind-bending mix of disco and psychedelia

Name: Los Bitchos - Talkie Talkie
Rating: 4

Ben Forrest

Thu 29 August 2024 9:23, UK

Los Bitchos - 'Talkie Talkie'

THE SKINNY: Originality is a prized resource in the 21st century. So, when a group like Los Bitchos come around, it is certainly a cause for celebration. Since its inception in 2017, the internationally assembled outfit has been blending disparate styles of cumbia, disco, funk, rock, psychedelia and everything in between, creating a euphoric and infectiously danceable sound in the process.

On their earlier material, such as 2022’s Let The Festivities Begin! Los Bitchos seemed anchored to the funky sounds of cumbia and Latin jazz. While these influences still largely form the backbone of the group, the newly unveiled album Talkie Talkie pushes the band into a variety of previously unexplored avenues. In particular, the album sees the band explore the vibrant world of Turkish psychedelic rock, as well as old-school disco influences. As is often the case with Los Bitchos, you would not necessarily put those genres together, yet the band seem to blend them together with apparent ease and riveting results.

Talkie Talkie is, in essence, an instrumental concept album. As you move through the diverse tracklisting, a certain narrative unfolds itself, as if the record is telling the story of a faraway disco nightclub and the various scenes which occur within those walls. Nevertheless, the sound of the record moves seamlessly from the cumbia sound Los Bitchos has become synonymous with to cheesy 1980s disco, Anatolian psychedelia, and even surf and garage rock at certain points. Listening to Los Bitchos is never a boring experience, in each and every track the band offer something new and interesting to sink your teeth into.

While the production work of Talkie Talkie often sounds fairly lacklustre and generic, songs like ‘Tango & Twirl’ or ‘Kiki, You Complete Me’ are effective in their ability to capture the spirit of Los Bitchos’ legendary live performances. This feeling could have been increased tenfold if the record was allowed to sound a little more raw and improvisational; ultimately, it feels a little too polished at points. Nevertheless, the record provides a perfect soundtrack to the last few days of summer and offers a great deal of promise for this vibrant new age of Los Bitchos.

For fans of: Self-medicating with multiple homemade margaritas and a night-in with your ‘Now That’s What I Call Disco’ CD.

A concluding comment from Ben’s mum: “I like this; it reminds me of being on holiday. I just need a piña colada, Hawaiian Tropic, and a frankly unsafe level of sunburn.”

Talkie Talkie track-by-track:

Release date: August 30th | Producer: Oli Barton-Wood | Label: City Slang

‘Hi!’: The opening to Talkie Talkie is an excellent transition between the sun soaked cumbia sounds of Los Bitchos’ earlier material, and this new era of late-night disco and funk influences, with an enjoyable amount of 1980s cheese sprinkled in. [3.5/5]

‘Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie’: Fused with disco rhythms and twinkling synths, this guitar-led track ushers in the disco nightclub concept that Talkie Talkie attempts to create. In addition, the song also takes some cues from Anatolian psychedelia, creating a sound that only Los Bitchos could conjure up. [3.5/5]

‘Don’t Change’: After building the anticipation, Los Bitchos finally erupt into an all-out dance party, supported by their distinctive groove and infectious guitar tones. In isolation, ‘Don’t Chance’ perhaps isn’t as noteworthy as some other efforts, but it works brilliantly within the context of the album. [3/5]

‘Kiki, You Complete Me’: A definite standout from the album, this track sees Los Bitchos take on a slightly more distorted sound, clearly influenced by old-school psychedelia and garage rock but enmeshed in the trademark Los Bitchos groove, which gives it an unavoidable danceability. [4.5/5]

‘Road’: The guitar riff that this song is built around almost sounds like a Hank Marvin type composition, if Marvin was tanked up on tequila and performing in some euphoric South American nightclub. If that description does not sell you on the song, I don’t know what will. [4/5]

“1K!’: Speaking to Los Bitchos’ unique ability to adapt to various different genres within a short space of time, this three-minute track, at one point or another, draws from reggae, cumbia, disco, and surf rock. Yet, it feels strangely natural, as if this genre-blending sound was always meant to happen. [3.5/5]

‘La Bomba’: Of all the efforts on Talkie Talkie, this song probably adheres most to the earlier sounds of Los Bitchos, and that is not a complaint. ‘La Bomba’ is a great reminder of the roots and ethos of the band, which have remained unchanged between albums. [4/5]

‘Open The Bunny, Wasting My Time’: Slowing proceedings down a touch, Los Bitchos give us all a chance to breathe with this spaced-out psychedelic offering. For the majority of this song, you cannot help but bask in the excellence of Serra Petale’s guitar playing. [3.5/5]

‘It’s About Time’: Josefine Jonsson’s incredible bassline, which introduces this song, could almost be from a 1980s hardcore punk tune, were it not for the dreamy synth track and funk-ridden guitars that arrive to accompany it. [3/5]

‘Naughty Little Clove’: Just when you thought this album couldn’t get any more danceable, Los Bitchos break out the cowbell for this uncompromisingly groovy offering. It is virtually impossible to listen to this while standing still; it demands movement. [4.5/5]

‘Tango & Twirl’: Far from mellowing put towards the end of the album, Los Bitchos kick things into overdrive with this four-minute epic. ‘Tango & Twirl’ is an absolute triumph, perhaps representing the apogee of everything Los Bitchos have been striving for on this record. [5/5]

‘Let Me Cook You’: As anybody who has had the pleasure of attending a Los Bitchos gig will tell you, the band always ends on a high, so it is fitting that Talkie Talkie closes out with infectious rhythms and an endless reservoir of energy. [4/5]