Out With Old And In With The “Easy”

Guatemala | RnB Alt Rock

Night and day. I mean… NIGHT AND FREAKING DAY.

It’s not often that you stumble upon a band or artist that has changed their sound so drastically that they are practically unrecognizable. Yet, that is Easy Easy’s story.

INTRO/HISTORY/BACKGROUND

FACTS:

• Formed in 2012
• Began making music under the name Cóctel
• Have released 2 albums so far under the name Easy Easy
• Contain a unique sound that is not easy to define or label
• Songs are sung in Spanish and English

 
 
Hailing from the city of San José Pinula in Guatemala, these rockers began their journey creating a rap-rock hip-hop experience of enormous proportions under the name Cóctel. They released two EPs under that name (both of which I cannot find any trace of via the all-knowing Google) but decided to change their band name not too long after that to Easy Easy because they felt that it just fit them better. They toured extensively through Central and South America, even picking up some achievements along the way such as RADIÓNICA’s Latin Band of the Year in 2016 and being featured in Mexico’s Rolling Stone Magazine. The lead singer ruling the mic at the time was a guy who you may know of… Jesse Baez. Jesse spat rhyme after rhyme, flow after flittering flow on the mic, singing at times and then rapping at others, driving a hip-hop heavy sound in the band. Then, all of a sudden, they went on a year hiatus. Around 2017 Baez went on to lead a solo career and has made quite the name for himself while doing so. This left a void in the band as far as a leading frontperson goes and so it wasn’t soon after that Sofía Insua made her debut. And with this debut, an entirely new band seemed to have been created. They released their first record with Insua on vocals titled Lo veo todo (lo siento) (I See Everything, Sorry), which was just released on May 25th of this year.

THE MUSIC

As mentioned prior, this band did a complete 180 when a change of the guard occurred last year, but I’ll try my best to give you a short synopsis of the before and after.

With Jesse Baez

While both vocalists add a soulful flavor to the music, Jesse’s version of soul took on a more rapping/hiphop approach overall when he led the group. There are even moments during their first album that a semi-punk attitude exudes out… like no eff’s given whatsoever (yet complete with actual “f*cks” given in the lyrics). Todo Lo Que Te Digo Está Mal (Everything I Say Is Wrong) is Easy Easy’s debut full-length album and the only one with Jesse at the helm of the ship. There is an urban feel to it overall but this isn’t quite a Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit sort of business. There are moments when early 2000’s pop-punk musicality can be felt within the album, with the best examples being songs like Regular Show and She Don’t Feel Me which contain rabid guitar strumming and breakneck drumming reminiscent of times past. The backdrop for the most part is rock, and even the aggressiveness found in Jesse’s rapping can be attributed to more of a rock mentality, if you ask me. Some phenomenal lyrics include:

You might be a little awkward/But you can sure play ball/You do hit hard/I got my game turned on (from Collar Eterno/Eternal Necklace)

All in all we could blossom and sometimes I play possum but you’re so f***ing awesome/Shoes, booze and girls with tattoos/Don’t feel the same, straight to my vein/She knows the game, hop the train/I’ve been framed, you’ve been frame, we’ve been framed. (from Shoes, Booze)

It’s no wonder that they had two top 100 hits on Colombian radio with this record and quite surprising that more recognition was not had elsewhere. If you dig your rock mixed with rap or vice versa, the first half of Easy Easy is for you. However, if you are craving something a little more laid back, sexy, and more in-tune with your feelings, then the new, “part 2” of Easy Easy is for you.

With Sofía Insua

From the get-go of Lo veo todo (lo siento), the strengths and growth of Easy Easy are evident. And no, it’s not just the vocals by Sofia that are the reason I am saying that. It’s the music – the song structures and composition – the instrumentation that shoots Easy Easy to a more galactically cool place than they were before.

They show off something completely new – a transformed dynamic of electronically ethereal soul that is dripping with sensuality and chillness this time around. The instrumentation has never sounded better, spacier or as smooth as it does now, fitting together perfectly and effectively. The entire rock feel melts away into an environment filled with delayed, tremolo-effected guitars, electronic drum beats mixed with organic drumming and a buzzing, heavy bass sound that moves you, the listener, both emotionally and physically (if you turn it up loud enough)! To me, the most brilliant track on the album is Look at Me, a track I revisit often because of it’s lounge-y mood and the way that the words move right off of Sofía‘s tongue. A rhythmic showpiece of sorts thanks to lines like this-

“I know you love it when I look at you / You know I love it when you look at me / We really love it so I guarantee / I’ll keep looking at you / And you’ll keep looking at me”

One listen to that track and you can see the MASSIVE potential that Easy Easy has to become smooth rock all stars who can reach across seas with their music. Two cameos can be found on the LP – one by South African rapper ByLwansta, who spits a fantastically well-thought-out verse on Love Pill and the other by Dominican indie singer Alex Ferreira who adds his own soft vocal touches on track 6 – Nublado (Cloudy). There aren’t many bands that can mix English and Spanish with as much ease as they do, which adds a uniquely gorgeous touch to songs like No Tengo Nada (I Have Nothing) and Out of Time.

While this isn’t a record you would probably blast with your windows down while commuting, it IS definitely a soundtrack to chill out to after a long workday. It is grand in it’s own, particular way and a valiant, fresh effort by EE who seems to be swimming carefree in their new sound

 

And last but not least, below are the latest vids by this crew – Check them out!

 

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